A Sailor's Lass

hope for was that its reign might be as short as possible. A fine, calm autumn was hailed as a special boon

ands, or gather samphire, instead of being penned up in the house half the time. But when the weather was wild and wet, and the salt

t was only the state of his boat, and his anxiety to keep it together as long as possible, that prevented him braving the perils of the sea; and so he sometimes got the loan of another boat, or helped another fisherman with his; and then, rough though they might be, the

, on the look-out for a stray wild fowl. Tiny often went to bed hungry, and woke up feeling faint and sick; and although she never forgot to say her prayers, she could not help thinking sometimes that God must have forgotten her. She read her paper to Dick, and he and Tom had both learned

pass her little arm round the poor woman's neck, and whisper, "God is good; He'll take care of us, mammy; He'll send us some supper, if He can't send us any dinner;" and the child's hopeful words often proved a true prophecy, for sometimes when Coomber had been out all day

Mrs. Coomber ventured to suggest that Tiny should be taken to the p

woman, with her apron to her eyes; "I'm afrai

me noble vessel came to grief on the perilous bar sands during the more boisterous weather. Once, when they were at their wits' end for food, and Bob had begged his mother to boil some samphire for supper, Tiny was fortunate enough to discover an unopened cask which

Dick! Come and se

AND SEE WHAT I'VE F

etched a hatchet, and soon broke open the cask; and oh! what

dn't forgotten us?" said Tiny, in a quavering vo

ce to tell Mrs. Coomber of her wonderful discovery; and she, scarcely daring to believe that such good news could be true, ran out at once to see for herself, and met the boys, who confirmed Tiny's tale. But she must see the cask for herself, and then she ate and filled her apron, and shed tears, and thanked God for this wonderful gift all at the same time. Then she told the boys to come

e of sea-gulls he had shot, he was fairl

ent 'em," said Tiny, in a

ough it must ha' been, deary," he said; "for how that cask

said Tiny confidently; "yer see, daddy, He ain't forgo

n could only have believed that whisky was not as necessary as bread, they might have suffered less privation; but every time he got a little money for his wild fowl, the bottle had to be replenished, even though

ut whisky. Now, as the supply of wild fowl steadily increased, he came home more sullen than ever. His return from Fellness grew to be a dread even to Tiny at la

runk rather more than usual, he was very cross on coming in, and

as he looked round the little kitchen

his wife, timidly, not ventu

ll 'em t

for Tiny," faltered the poor woman

shall I go and lug 'em out of be

ber," bega

ed just as I come home. I heard that little 'un say one day she was afraid of me sometimes. Afraid, indeed; I'll teach her to b

so went to rouse the children without further parley. They were not asleep, a

iny, her teeth chattering with

Coomber; "slip your clothes on as quick as you can, and come and sing 'Star o

her efforts to be brave, and not look as though she was frightened, she crept into the kitchen looking cowe

?" he demanded; "what business

ce towards him, and vent

'" interposed Mrs. Coomber; "let her

what I tell her. Come here," he called, in a still louder to

d her by the arm, and dragged her towards him, giving her a violent shake

her lips move, but no sound came from them; and after waiting a m

uttered no sound. They picked her up from where she had fallen, or rather had been thr

wailed Dick, bending over her

bered Coomber. "Did I do it? Did I d

r did it. I've often thought you'd do for mother, or one of us; but

, Bob," commanded his mother; for she could see that

ked, in a subdued voice; "surely,

l her faculties. "I don't know what to do," she said, helplessly, wipi

hed Tiny's face; and in a minute or two Dick saw, to his great delight, that she drew a faint, fluttering breath. Coomber saw it too, and the relief was so great that he could not keep bac

of fresh air; and don't stand too close," said

asping breath, until at last Tiny was able to swallow a little of the water; a

nsible enough to recognise his voice, and shuddered visibly. He groaned as he saw

r was used to cuts and wounds, and could strap them up as cleverly as a surgeon. It was not the si

er ventured to ask, after Tiny's fo

girl crept closer to the sheltering arms. "Don't

he whisper, and it cut him to the heart, although he kept

ittle milk, deary?"

o buy milk," said Tiny,

whisky he had brought home, and went out. He brought a jug of milk when he came back. "You can se