story preceding.) "Ah, me," said the Captain, "I forgot all about
that, Jack. I will go on shore with you to-morrow and try to find the
owner." They did so; and after much trouble, found it belonged to a
nobleman's lady, and as a reward for the boy's honesty, she gave him
eighty pounds English money. John's next difficulty was what to do
with it. The captain advised him to lay it out in hides, which would
be valuable in England. He did so, and on arriving at Hull, they
brought one hundred and fifty pounds.

John had not forgotten his mother. The captain gave him leave of
absence for a time, and taking a portion of his money with him, he
started for his native village. When he arrived there, he made his way
to her house with a beating heart. Each object told him it was home,
and brought bygone days to his mind. On coming to the house he saw it
was closed. He thought she might be dead; and as he slowly opened the
gate and walked up the path and looked about, his heart was ready to
break. A neighbor seeing him, said, "Ah, John, is that you?" and
quickly told him that his mother still lived--but as she had no means
of support, she had gone to the poor-house. John went to the place,
found his mother, and soon made her comfortable in her own cottage.
The sailor boy afterwards became mate of the same vessel in which he
first left the quay at Yarmouth.

* * * * *

NO PAY--NO WORK.

"Little boy, will you help a poor old man up the hill with this
load?" said an old man, who was drawing a hand-cart with a bag of corn
for the mill.

"I can't," said the boy, "I am in a hurry to be at school."

As the old man sat on the stone, resting himself he thought of his
youthful days, and of his friends now in the grave; the tears began to
fall, when John Wilson came along, and said,--"shall I help you up the
hill with your load sir?" The old man brushed his eyes with his coat
sleeve, and replied, "I should be glad to have you." He arose and took
the tongue of his cart, while John pushed behind. When they ascended
the top of the hill, the old man thanked the lad for his kindness. In
consequence of this John was ten minutes too late at school. It was
unusual for him to be late, as he was known to be punctual and prompt;
but as he said nothing to the teacher about the cause of his being
late, he was marked for not being in season.

After school, Hanson, the first boy, said to John, "I suppose you
st