ining chair by his side, was little
Miss Joy.

Maggie Chanter was sowing some seeds in the window-box of the next
house, and Mrs. Harrison was standing by the porch, waiting and
watching. She had her knitting in her hand, but her eyes were on the
sea, with the same wistful longing in them as of old.

"Jack is come home. Jack!" gasped Bet. "They say he stole the
cash-box, but--but--I've found it. Quick! take it to Uncle Joe, and
say I found it in the ground at the back of grannie's old home."

CHAPTER XIV.

_THE WAITING IS OVER._

Sudden news, whether it be good or bad, is always a shock; and when
Patience Harrison caught the cry repeated by Maggie Chanter, "Jack is
come home!" and echoed by little Miss Joy's silvery voice, and old
Uncle Bobo's bass, "Jack is come home!" she sank back in the porch and
gasped for breath.

Presently the little gate was opened by George Paterson, who hastily
asked--

"What is the matter? Jack come home? Well, that's good news."

"Yes," Maggie Chanter said; "but Bet there has some other news, which
is not so good. They dare to say Jack stole the cash-box the day he
ran off, and they have locked him up."

"But he didn't, he didn't," Bet said, recovering her breath at last.
"Here it is; take it to Uncle Joe, and tell him where I found it."

"Yes; take it," said Uncle Bobo; "I'd go myself, only I can't stir my
old stumps as fast as you can. Paterson, you are the man for the
business."

George Paterson was looking at poor Patience, who seemed utterly
overwhelmed with the tidings; and behind her stood old Mrs. Skinner,
with her arm round her, letting her head rest against her shoulder.

"There, there," she said, as Patience began to sob convulsively;
"there, there, you've naught to cry for. Your boy is come back; and if
Bet is to be believed, my son is the thief, not yours. You needn't
break your heart. What made you go and look for the box, Bet? What
made you think of it?"

"Oh, grannie, I--I saw Uncle Joe bury it in the ground one night! I
never knew what it was till I heard a talk about a little box that was
lost."

"Well, well, the box is found, and now I am off to bring the boy to his
mother. Bet, you come along."

"No," Bet said; "I dare not, Mr. Paterson, I dare not."

"I will come with you, Mr. Paterson," Maggie said. "I am not afraid of
Joe--I never was. He ought to be ashamed of himself, and I expect
there is worse behind."

"I have no doubt