e got hold of the little fellow, and climbed out again
with my help, laying him on the grass, when he got him out. For a long
time they thought the child was dead; but they carried him home, and
very luckily met the village doctor on their way, by whose skill, after
long, long persevering efforts he was brought slowly to life. But for
many a month after that he was ill from the combined effects of the
shock, the bad air, the fright, and the water. Indeed, as the doctor
said, he must have spent a cat's nine lives in getting through it at
all.

"It was a sad trial for poor John and his wife, although they bore it
patiently enough, only thankful that their Robin was spared to them. But
his mother had no time to give to her crops now, and John had more than
he could manage with his fishing besides, and was not able to make it as
profitable as usual. But all their poor neighbours were very kind to
them, and would always bring in any bit of more tempting food than they
usually had, for poor little Robin. He lay patient enough on his hard
bed, and was very cheerful and bright when his illness would allow it.
His father had delighted him beyond measure by tying me to the top of
his bed, so that he could drag himself up into a sitting posture by my
help, and he fancied himself quite a sailor, and used to lie there
smiling, and talking in a low voice to himself about the ropes and
rigging of a ship. Old Bill, the boatman, his father's mate, had made
him a little boat, and while he was finishing it, he used to sit by poor
Robin's bedside, and tell him all about the different parts of a ship,
so that the child (who was naturally quick, and was now no doubt made
more so by his illness, and long rest), soon became quite knowing about
the different sails and ropes.

"'This is a sloop, Bill, aint it,' he used to say, ''cause she's only
got one mast. I should like to have a brig with two masts, and lots of
sails!'

"Poor little Robin! he was never well again, for, as it seemed
afterwards, his spine had received some injury from the fall, which it
never recovered. He only lived to be twelve years old, and during that
time could never get about like other boys, and was continually laid up,
especially in the cold winter season, for months together. But as his
body became so weak, his mind seemed to grow instead, and he was more
like a man than a child in his thoughts and ways, though _always_
patient. He improved on his old tutor's less