dined with them. When the joint appeared, Amanda, who
had been in the kitchen the greater part of the morning, clapped her
hands as at sight of an old acquaintance.

"Dere it comes! dere it comes!" she cried.

But the minister's grace was a little longer than she liked, for he was
trying hard to feel grateful. I think some people mistake pleasure and
satisfaction for thankfulness: Mr. Drake was not so to be taken in. Ere
long, however, he found them a good soil for thankfulness to grow
in.--So Amanda fidgeted not a little, and the moment the grace was
over--

"Now 'en! now 'en!" she almost screamed, her eyes sparkling with
delight. "'Iss is dinner!--'Ou don't have dinner every day, Miss
Mellidif!"

"Be quiet, Ducky," said her aunt, as she called her. "You mustn't make
any remarks."

"Ducky ain't makin' no marks," returned the child, looking anxiously at
the table-cloth, and was quiet but not for long.

"Lisbef say surely papa's sip come home wif 'e nice dinner!" she said
next.

"No, my ducky," said Mr. Drake: "it was God's ship that came with it."

"Dood sip!" said the child.

"It will come one day and another, and carry us all home," said the
minister.

"Where Ducky's yeal own papa and mamma yive in a big house, papa?" asked
Amanda, more seriously.

"I will tell you more about it when you are older," said Mr. Drake. "Now
let us eat the dinner God has sent us." He was evidently far happier
already, though his daughter could see that every now and then his
thoughts were away; she hoped they were thanking God. Before dinner was
over, he was talking quite cheerfully, drawing largely from his stores
both of reading and experience. After the child was gone, they told
Juliet of their good fortune. She congratulated them heartily, then
looked a little grave, and said--

"Perhaps you would like me to go?"

"What!" said Mr. Drake; "does your friendship go no further than that?
Having helped us so much in adversity, will you forsake us the moment
prosperity looks in at the window?"

Juliet gave one glance at Dorothy, smiled, and said no more. For
Dorothy, she was already building a castle for Juliet--busily.

CHAPTER XXIV.

JULIET'S CHAMBER.

After tea, Mr. Drake and Dorothy went out for a walk together--a thing
they had not once done since the church-meeting of acrid memory in which
had been decreed the close of the minister's activity, at least in
Glaston. It was a lovely June twilight; the bats