at
work. Either knowingly or unwittingly some one has been "overcoming
evil with good," for Mrs White's husband is down at the docks toiling
hard to earn a few pence wherewith to increase the family funds. And
who can tell what a terrible yet hopeful war is going on within that
care-worn, sin-worn man? To toil hard with shattered health is burden
enough. What must it be when, along with the outward toil, there is a
constant fight with a raging watchful devil within? But the man has
given that devil some desperate falls of late. Oh, how often and how
long he has fought with him, and been overcome, cast down, and his
armoury of resolutions scattered to the winds! But he has been to see
some one, or some one has been to see him, who has advised him to try
another kind of armour--not his own. He knows the power of a "new
affection" now. Despair was his portion not long ago. He is now
animated by Hope, for the long uncared-for name of Jesus is now growing
sweet to his ear. But the change has taken place recently, and he looks
very weary as he toils and fights.

"Well, mother," said Captain Wopper, "now that I've given you a full,
true, an' partikler account of Switzerland, what d'ee think of it?"

"It is a strange place--very, but I don't approve of people risking
their lives and breaking their limbs for the mere pleasure of getting to
the top of a mountain of ice."

"But we can't do anything in life without riskin' our lives an' breakin'
our limbs more or less," said the Captain.

"An' think o' the interests of science," said Gillie, quoting the
Professor.

Mrs Roby shook her tall cap and remained unconvinced. To have expected
the old nurse to take an enlightened view on that point would have been
as unreasonable as to have looked for just views in Gillie White on the
subject of conic sections.

"Why, mother, a man may break a leg or an arm in going down stairs,"
said the Captain, pursuing the subject; "by the way, that reminds me to
ask for Fred Leven. Didn't I hear that _he_ broke his arm coming up his
own stair? Is it true?"

"True enough," replied Mrs Roby.

"Was he the worse of liquor at the time?"

"No. It was dark, and he was carrying a heavy box of something or other
for his mother. Fred is a reformed man. I think the sight of your poor
father, Gillie, has had something to do with it, and that night when his
mother nearly died. At all events he never touches drink now, and he
has got a