l this evening; he seems threatened with a fever, and I promised to
go back to the shop after dinner to-morrow. If he should be sick, I
shall have plenty to do without coming home at all."

"Oh, I hope Mr. Bray is not going to have a fever," said True and Gerty,
in the same breath.

"He's such a clever man!" said True.

"He's so good to you, Willie!" added Gerty.

Willie hoped not, too; but his hopes gave way to his fears, when he
found on the following day that his kind master was not able to leave
his bed, and the doctor pronounced his symptoms alarming. A typhoid
fever set in, which in a few days terminated the life of the excellent
apothecary.

The death of Mr. Bray was a dreadful blow to Willie. The shop was
closed, the widow having decided to dispose of the stock, and remove
into the country. Willie was thus left without employment, and deprived
of Mr. Bray's valuable assistance. His earnings had promoted the comfort
of his mother and grandfather, who had thus been enabled to relax their
own labours. The thought of being a burden to them was intolerable to
the independent spirit of the boy; and he tried to obtain another place.
He applied to the different apothecaries in the city, but none of them
wanted a youth of his age. He returned home at night, disappointed, but
not discouraged. If he could not obtain employment with an apothecary,
he would do something else. But what should he do? That was the
question. He had long talks with his mother about it. She felt that his
talents and education entitled him to fill a position equal to that he
had already occupied; and could not endure the thought of his descending
to more menial service. Willie, without pride, thought so too. He knew
he could give satisfaction in a station which required more business
talent than his situation at Mr. Bray's had ever given scope to. So he
had made every possible inquiry, but he had no one to speak a good word
for him, and so he met with no success, and day after day returned home
silent and depressed.

CHAPTER XIII.

BRIGHTENING PROSPECTS.

This was altogether a new experience to Willie, and a very trying one.
But he bore it bravely; kept all his worst struggles from his anxious
mother and desponding grandfather, and resolved to hope against hope.
Gerty was now his chief comforter. He told her all his troubles, and,
young as she was, she was a wonderful consoler. Always looking on the
bright side, she did much towar