he
water side. As they looked, a boy about eleven years old, dressed in
rough sailor-clothes, jumped ashore from a brig at the wharf, and
came running towards them, calling, "Bernard! Bernard!" again and
again.

Bernard stood a moment as if amazed; then, suddenly letting go of my
father's hand, he gave a cry of joy, sprang forward and caught the
little sailor in his arms. It was his brother John.

Here grandma stopped. There was silence a few minutes. Then the
questions began to come thick and fast. "Where had John been all this
time?" "And why didn't he get to Boston before?"

"Well," said grandma, "I must tell that in a few words; for my story is
getting long."

The captain of the brig had promised Mr. Trainier that he would see
the little boy safely landed at the house of Mr. Duprez in Boston.
But the captain was a bad man. Instead of treating John as a
passenger, he forced him to do duty as a cabin-boy.

Then, instead of going to Boston, the brig went to New York, and
from there on a long voyage to some foreign port. At last she had
come to Boston; but the captain had no idea of letting John go even
then. He meant to carry him away again, and would have done so but
for the accidental meeting of the two brothers on Long Wharf.

"The captain _had_ to let him go after that, didn't he, grandma?" said
little Jane.

"Of course he did," said grandma. "My father soon settled that point. He
took John on board the packet, and brought him to Hingham. I well
remember the time when the brothers came home, and how John told the
story of his hardships, and how we all cried when we heard it, and then
laughed with joy to see Bernard so happy."

"And was not John happy too?" asked Ruth.

"Yes, indeed," said grandma. "And yet both the boys were sad when they
thought of their father's fate, and felt that they were orphans with no
means of support. We all did our best to cheer them up, and my father
told them they should have a home with us till they were old enough to
take care of themselves."

"And what became of them? Are they living now? Tell us all about them,"
said the children.

"Ah! I must save that for another story. This is enough for to-day."

JANE OLIVER.

* * * * *

[Illustration: SCENE ON THE HUDSON RIVER.]

* * * * *

CHRISTMAS AT THE SOUTH.

Christmas at the South is