A Sailor's Lass

inted out on the paper. They teased her to know how to put the letters together and make them into words which they could understand. But, alas! labour as she would, Tiny

be able to tell her if only she could solve the mystery of putting them into words, for

to sort the fish when it was brought in, or mend the much-despised net; but every day

the farm people, for Harry Hayes and his sisters were often down on the sands, sometimes bringing their books with them, and

and I won't tell," urged Dick, one day, when the children from the farm were at play

"I can't, Dick," she said; "God wouldn'

ou don't tell Him?" said th

all the time; that He's taking car

k, looking over his shoulder with a gesture of

I dunno what that is, but it's just as real as the wind. We can't see that yo

s speaking. "What makes you talk like th

his fear. "Don't you like to think God is close to you

r'aps He don't come here," he said, at last, in a tone of relief. "Oh, I sa

t, and p'r'aps he'll let us," said the little

you're afraid of, an

es daddy; and if I was to talk to Harry Hayes, it would make him cross, and God doesn'

"but what do you suppose God thinks of dad w

aid of him sometimes, when he's had a big lot; and he's just the de

ays you musn't, I'd like to know what He thinks of dad sometimes, that's all." And then Dick ran away, for

tled by a sound close at hand, and, looking round, she

t you was out in t

T, WHILE I RUB AWAY AT TH

ed to clean the gun ready for winter," said the fisherm

he had only been on the other side of the sand-ridge, h

e fisherman took no no

r of Peace'; it'll sound first-rate out here;" as though he had never heard it out ther

ink about that 'Star of Peace' deary? It's the sailor's

most sure mother said it mean

and how he would have to use it more than ever when winter came, for the boat was growing old, and would not stand much more knocking about by the rough wintry sea; so he and Bob mu

independent, though he may be poor; and if you could do one of them young 'uns a good turn any tim

after a minute's pause, she said: "Daddy, I think Harry or

loud laugh. "That's what you'd like, I

hese letters tell all about it, I know-if I only c

," he said, with another short laugh. "Maybe you'll be able to tell us all about i

p, and all who were in her would meet with a watery grave. He was as brave as a lion; but to know that his boat was gradually going to pieces, and that its timbers might part company at almost any moment, made even his courage quail; especially when he thought of his wife, and the boys, and this little helpless girl. Some hard things had been said at Fellness about his fo

ome; but he was as obstinate in this as in most other things. He had followed his own will, or rather the God-like compassion of his

in the face, and at no distant date either. He could never hope to buy a new boat. It would cost over twenty pounds, and he seldom owned twenty pence over the day's stock of bread and other household necessaries. Among these he counted his whisky; for that a fisherman could do

all but marvellous that he should be able to work the next day without his usual drams, but it had not convinced him that he could do without it all together. Of its effect upon himself, in making him sullen, morose, and disagreeable, he was in absolute ignorance, and so the children's talk about it came upon him

ad done rubbing his gun he carried it home, and Tiny wa

ding, and Harry throwing sand at Dick, who had seated hi

about these letters, please?" said T

aid Harry, with a laugh. "Suppose she

welled up to her eyes at the thought of all her hopes bei

should like to tell you, dear," she added, in a patronisin

t they should be discovered that the play was considerably hindered. Now he understood that this advance on Tiny's part was a direct concession from Coomber himself, for he and the boys had long ago agreed to try and draw the little girl into some intimacy as the only way of breaking down the restrictions laid u

over and read, "God is good to all: He loves both boys and girls." At this point Tiny interrupted

further, and turned to the page again and read on. At the bottom was a line or two in smaller print, and Polly read these longer words

ittle children," concluded Polly, as she turn

t for a few minutes, and then Tiny said wistfully: "W

nd she proceeded to tell Tiny the name of each; and the little girl had the satisfaction of knowing

e went home she was able to spell out the first two lines of the pr

o herself after supper, and they sat round the table looking at each other in wondering amazement as her little finger travelled along the page, and she spelt out

ed his pipe in silence. At length, taking it from his mouth, he said, in a slow, meditative fashion: "Well, little 'un, I s'pose if i

hem what she had heard about the picture, and the conclusion she and Polly had arrived at upon the su