Little Miss Joy

ted, and a rift in the clouds showed the moon in its last quarter floating like a boat on its back in a silvery sea. The pale rays shed a flickering light upon the waters, and there was

eed. The boats were swamped, and this is the only one that righte

voice from the bottom of the boat

l three give up an earthly home, and

ce of some passing vessels. But although several sail were seen on the horizon, none seemed to come across the track of the little lonely boat. The scorching sun of noon beat on their unprotected heads, and poor

ll drive you mad, and you wi

ame cooler, and Peter, pull

rd under my head, and

t a canvas bag of sea biscuits, which had been stowed away unde

tarve, you young ones; there

aid; "and I shan't touch a crumb unle

his teeth into a biscuit like a hungry dog,

e away from the child. But he did not succeed till he had sw

earer and nearer. He stood up and called "Ahoy!" with all his might, and poor Toby whined and barked. Colley, awakened from a light dose, stood up also, an

sinking down. "I say, Colley, are we to g

Please the Lord, He'll put an end to

e, as she did for my father, and she will watch and wait in vain. Oh, Colley, do you think God is very angry, and that this is my punishment-to die out h

to God's anger-well, if you turn your heart to Him in Christ's name, He won't send you empty away. He will speak peace for His dear So

I don't want to die. I want to li

t choose; and we are just in G

ming insensible. Jack's lips were so sore and chapped he could not bite the hard biscuit; and though Colley soaked his in

of Skinner. I h

lear depths of which the forms of many sea creatures cou

es. One came so near that Colley seized it and took it into

h;" and then he wrung the bird's neck, saying, "If

die, Colley. Yesterday I wanted to live, but I don't feel t

them, feeble as they both were, the old man and the boy, they

s. "Mother," he said, "I'm coming." Then

soon;" and then he said a few words of prayer, and b

one little Miss Joy had often said came to his lips, and he

lover of

o Thy bo

nearer w

tempest st

O my Sav

torm of li

o the ha

ve my sou

efuge ha

elpless so

leave me

port and

were wide open, gazing upwards. Then a smile, a sweet smile, a shudde

ed his hea

er's pride aboard ship. Well, well, she i

se that night, Colley lifted the child's b

help, lies before you and me-the death of starvation. You are young, but I am a

ley, do not leav

shook h

efore I bury this child; for we must bury him, and now. You've been at school, you say, up to the t

d and tried to collect h

Mary when her brother Lazaru

am the Resurrection and the Life; he that

ng down his rugged cheeks he said: "O heavenly Father, Thou hast called this child from pain and sufferin

a sudden splash, a rippling sound, and all was still-so still, except for the mysterio

were too weak now to speak much. Even Toby could scarcely wag his tail, but lay with his head on his paws, gazing up t

was not strength left to eat it,

breeze. But Colley lay at the bottom of the boat, breathing heavily, though

line hitherto of the many steamers which continually cross the g

im, and everything became dreamlike and unreal. Even the images of his mother and Joy, which had been s

re, at last, was a boa

d a cheery voice. "

e saved!" And then from excess of joy and emotion he f

a dog," said one

ck as may be. I told you this object we saw was a craft of some sort, though you were

were pulling the boat and those in it to the good shi