about by the rolling and pitching of that 'ere heavy merchantman! She was no man-of-war at all; they could not get nine knots out of her; the other one might have spared her royals and studding sails, and they were fairly beaten. But as for that, it was all one, the dibs would have gone in some way if not in that, and they hoped the parson and the young ladies would find all well after all. During all this the other two sailors looked on with droll surprise, and then broke out with vociferous questions and some technical sarcasms, when the spokesman of the vanquished party said, "Why, do you see, Jim, and you Amazons, just as we were off, light-rigged and welltrimmed, his honour there with a grey head and kind face, and parson's rigging, and his convoy that 'ere mother, and the two pretty young 'uns that have never seen a gale or a banyan-day, asked for a passage, because their boy was sick and dying up in Lunnon here, and they could not get to him if we did not

consent. And when we said 'no,' for we were going to try the rate of sailing with you, the old man (I beg your honour's pardon) held down his head, and the girls blubbered, and this took us all aback; and so, Jim, we hauled down our colours and struck outright, and gave them a passage, lumber and all-and a good cargo it is; and so you see we were down in the water some inches more by this; and it was no use, we could not come up with you; and here's the money, hold out your fists, you've-"

Jim, with an appalled look and tone, exclaimed,

"Money! sheer off and don't come alongside me, my hearty! If that's the cause on't, I won't touch a single copper, nor Bill here either, I know; there's nothing even or aboveboard in it; we threw ever so much cargo overboard, and lightened the craft, and left Jack and the rest because of those landsharks. And if you hove to and took them poor things

in tow, why, then it was not fair sailing, and we'll share alike for this 'ere cruise-won't we, Bill?"

Bill's reply was stopped by the clergyman, who, after having listened with an interest which apparently absorbed him, and touched him and his family to the quick, broke out and said, "May God bless you all, my noble fellows! you are equal indeed in the race of doing kind acts. You have relieved me of a sorrowful burden, and my wife and children, and we all return you our grateful acknowledgments. It would be only an insult to offer you the money for our fares again; we are glad to be indebted to you in this way. I must hasten away to my poor boy; but if I could do anything whatever for you, to show my sense of your generosity, how glad I should be! What can I do?"

"Well," said Jim, "perhaps your honour has interest up aloft, and may be will speak a good word for us, for we don't know how to do it

ourselves; and we should like, after a little, to

be well moored there."

"While my life lasts," replied the good clergyman, "God helping me, I trust I shall ever remember you in my prayers; but my poor kind friends, the harbour and heaven you speak of is open to all believers in the Son of God."

There was an expression of mingled grief and hope in the good clergyman's face; he pressed their hands, and shook them earnestly, as did also his wife and daughters, and in a few moments the persons so strangely brought together parted, to meet no more in this world.

THE CRUISE.

IN the autumn of 18-, some fine frigates were lying at Spithead, in comparative idleness and suspense,-provoking one another in little struggles, such as loosing and furling sails together, getting topgallant and royal yards up and down, and so on, and wanting more to do, when orders came down to sail in fortyeight hours to the Nore, to join the squadron appointed to escort the King to Scotland.

The weather was settled and agreeable. So, without losing a moment, a young lieutenant of one of these ships wrote off to a younger brother, then at home, but student of Trinity College at Cambridge, to join him forthwith by the very first mail, with as many promises

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