light by throwing stones
into the sea for Scraggy to go in for--which he always did, though he
never fetched them out.

In the course of that day Charlie Brooke left his mother to take a
stroll, and naturally turned in the direction of the sea. When half-way
through the lane with the high banks on either side he encountered May.

"What a pleasant pretty girl she has become!" was his thought as she
drew near.

"Nobler and handsomer than ever!" was hers as he approached.

The thoughts of both sent a flush to the face of each, but the colour
scarcely showed through the bronzed skin of the man.

"Why, what a woman you have grown, May!" said Charlie, grasping her
hand, and attempting to resume the old familiar terms--with, however,
imperfect success.

"Isn't that natural?" asked May, with a glance and a little laugh.

That glance and that little laugh, insignificant in themselves, tore a
veil from the eyes of Charlie Brooke. He had always been fond of May
Leather, after a fashion. _Now_ it suddenly rushed upon him that he was
fond of her after another fashion! He was a quick thinker and just
reasoner. A poor man without a profession and no prospects has no right
to try to gain the affections of a girl. He became grave instantly.

"May," he said, "will you turn back to the shore with me for a little?
I want to have a talk about Shank. I want you to tell me all you know
about him. Don't conceal anything. I feel as if I had a right to claim
your confidence, for, as you know well, he and I have been like brothers
since we were little boys."

May had turned at once, and the tears filled her eyes as she told the
sad story. It was long, and the poor girl was graphic in detail. We
can give but the outline here.

Shank had gone off with Ritson not long after the sailing of the
_Walrus_. On reaching America, and hearing of the failure of the
company that worked the gold mine, and of old Ritson's death, they knew
not which way to turn. It was a tremendous blow, and seemed to have
rendered them reckless, for they soon took to gambling. At first they
remained in New York, and letters came home pretty regularly, in which
Shank always expressed hopes of getting more respectable work. He did
not conceal their mode of gaining a livelihood, but defended it on the
ground that "a man must live!"

For a time the letters were cheerful. The young men were "lucky." Then
came a change of luck, and a consequent change in