is able to support himself. We'll take him aboard
the `Lily,' and soon make a prime seaman of him."

My mother looked at me, grieving at the thought that I must so soon be
taken from her. Then other thoughts came into her mind.

"But you, my dear Jack, require all the means you possess for yourself.
Grace has promised to become yours whenever you desire it."

"I know that," answered Uncle Jack. "I prize her love, but we are both
young and can wait, and true as mine is for her it must not overcome my
duty to you and yours. Captain Haiselden talks of some day going to
live on shore, when he will give up charge of the `Lily' to me, or I may
obtain a larger craft and shall make enough for Grace, and you, and
myself, I hope. At all events, my dear sister, you and the children
must not starve, and we shall have Harry here making his fortune. So
cheer up, Mary, and trust in God."

"I do, Jack, I do," she answered, taking his hands, while the tears
still flowed down her pale cheeks. "Harry will do his duty, I know, and
some day be able to help me, and I must try to do what I can for myself,
though I fear it will be but little."

"You have friends who will be glad to lend you a helping hand," said
Uncle Jack, who judged of others by himself. "We may have, I trust, a
successful voyage, and all will go well, Mary."

Much more he said to the same effect. My mother appeared comforted, at
all events she grew calm, and as Captain Haiselden consented to take me
on board as an apprentice, she set herself busily to work to prepare my
outfit, while my sister Mary, who was next to me, and my two younger
brothers were sent to school, and Grace Bingley came in every day to
assist her in her task.

How industriously Grace sat working away with her needle, every now and
then jumping up to prevent Frank or Sally from getting into mischief!
Some of the larger garments were certainly not for me. My mother had
promised to overhaul Uncle Jack's wardrobe and supply what was wanting,
according to a list he gave her. I should like to describe Grace as she
sat in the bay window opposite my mother with the work-table near them,
but it will suffice to say that she was young, fair, and pretty, with
eyes that seemed to have borrowed their colour from the sky. My mother
had assumed the widow's cap, and might from her clear complexion, and
her brown hair braided across her brow, have been taken for Grace's
elder sister. Though the heart