ister's funeral. I came back to the
cottage after the service was over with my heart full of sorrowful
thoughts. My mother sat in her chair by the fire; her Bible was open
before her, her head was bowed down, her hands clasped, and her lips
moving in prayer. I heard them utter my own name.

"`Mother,' I said, springing forward, and throwing my arms round her,
`please God, and with his help, I'll never touch another drop of the
drink from this day.'

"`God bless you, my son,' she said, with sobs. `I've prayed him scores
of times that my son might be preserved from living a drunkard's life,
and dying a drunkard's death. I believe he's heard me. I know he has,
and I'll trust him to make you truly his child, and then we shall meet
in glory.' From that day to this not a drop of intoxicating liquor has
ever passed my lips. But it's time to turn in; we shan't sleep the less
sound because we're not indebted to the grog for a nightcap."

For some days after the captain had told his story, Frank Oldfield's
manner was subdued and less buoyant than usual--something like a
misgiving about his own ability to resist temptation, mingled with sad
memories of the past. But his spirits soon recovered their usual
brightness.

It was on a cloudless day, when scarcely a breath of air puffed out the
sails, and the dog-vane drooped lazily, as if desponding at having
nothing to do, that Hubert was looking listlessly over the stern,
marking how the wide expanse of the sea was heaving and swelling like a
vast carpet of silk upraised and then drawn down again by some giant
hand. Suddenly he cried out,--

"What's that cutting its way behind us, just below the surface of the
water?"

"A shark, most likely," said the mate, coming up. "Ay, sure enough it
is," he added, looking over the stern. "Many a poor fellow has lost his
life or his limbs by their ugly teeth. We'll bait a hook for him."

This was soon done. A large piece of rusty pork was stuck upon a hook
attached to the end of a stout chain, the chain being fastened to a
strong rope. All was now excitement on board. The captain, Hubert,
Frank, and Jacob Poole looked over at the monster, whose dorsal fin just
appeared above the water. He did not, however, seem to be in any hurry
to take the bait, but kept swimming near it, and now and then knocked it
with his nose.

"Just look at the water," cried Frank; "why, it's all alive with little
fish. I never saw anything like