e. He went to
sea when he was a very little fellow with poor dear papa, who was killed
in action. Oliver was by his side at the time, and wrote us home an
account of the sad, sad event, saying how brokenhearted he was. The
people were very kind to him. Papa was lieutenant of the ship, and was
loved by all the men, as I am sure he would have been, remembering how
good and kind and gentle he was with us."

The tears came into Mary's bright eyes as she spoke of her father.

"Whenever we hear of a battle out there, poor mamma is very anxious
until the particulars come home, and she knows that Oliver is safe,"
said Mary. "We are nearly sure to get a letter from him, for he always
writes when he can, and I hope that you'll write also when you are away,
and tell us all that you are doing; then we shall receive two letters
instead of one, and we shall always be so very, very glad to hear from
you."

Bill promised that he would write constantly, saying that he should be
pleased to do so, especially as he had not many correspondents; indeed,
he might have said that he had none, as he was, in truth, not acquainted
with anybody on shore. Mary and her mother were the first friends he
had ever possessed, so that he very naturally valued them the more.
They were of very great service to him in many respects, for Mrs
Crofton was a ladylike and refined person, though her means were small,
and she was able to give him instruction in the ways and manners of
people of education; though Bill was so observant, and anxious to
imitate what was right, that he only required the opportunity to fit
himself thoroughly for his new station in life.

Mr Saltwell lent him books, and he read during every spare moment, to
make amends for his want of early education.

When he came on shore, Mrs Crofton assisted him, and as she knew French
very well, helped him to study it with a grammar and dictionary, which
he found very easy, as he already understood so much of the language,
and he was able to practise speaking with Pierre.

The young Frenchman slowly recovered, but the doctor, who came to visit
him from the hospital every day, said that it would be a long time
before he would regain strength and be able to return to France.

Bill had written, at Pierre's dictation, to Madame Turgot, to tell her
where he was, what had happened to him, and how well he was treated. It
was rather a funny composition, as Pierre was no great scholar, and
could