with great losses;
and finally he was reduced to poverty as abject as his mother's had
been. No one pitied him; but all felt his suffering was richly
deserved, and was a just punishment for his sin."

"What a wicked man!" cried Frederick. "I would never do so; I would
have you live with me, ma, and take care of you all your life."

Mrs. Carleton kissed her boy and softly whispered in his ear,--

"Thank you, my darling;" and then it was time for them to get their
Bibles, and read aloud in turn. Afterward Mrs. Carleton knelt, and
prayed for herself and her absent husband, and for their dear
children, that God would make them sensible of all his blessings and
would give them hearts to praise him for his great mercies.

Fred usually fell asleep almost as soon as his head touched the
pillow; but this night he was very wakeful. The stories he had heard,
both from his teacher and his mother, led him to think of the end of
wicked men; and he resolved, as he had never done before, that, with
God's help, he would try to be a consistent Christian.

Especially he thought of his father, and wondered where he was, how
soon he would be home, and what kind of a present he would bring this
time.

Fred's father was a sea-captain. He had once been very successful in
business; but two years before the time I have written about, his
vessel was wrecked, and he barely escaped with his life.

As he could not afford to lose his time in waiting for the command of
a new ship, he took the situation of first mate, in which he had
continued ever since. It was now a few days more than a year since he
sailed, and Hatty noticed that her mother began to watch the clouds
more than she had done, while she supposed him too far off the coast
to be affected by storms. Still as he was not now the captain, he
might not be able to leave the vessel at once, even if it had arrived
in port.

Mrs. Carleton said little to her children of the subject which filled
her heart; but night after night, while they were soundly sleeping,
she prayed that he from whom she had been separated so many weary
months might be brought in safety to his home.

CHAPTER VI.

THE STRANGE VISITOR.

The day of the examination arrived at last. The new suit was completed
and hanging in the closet. The nicely starched collar, and the pretty
brown bow were laid with a clean pocket-handkerchief in the drawer.

Fred had been very diligent in reviewing his lessons; but as th