d
Noll's shoulder, as if to make sure that it was really his nephew and
no vision.

"Ah!" said he, with a sigh, "your father looks out at me from your
eyes, Noll. Turn them away from me. Go to Culm, if you like,--you
have my permission."

"Breakfas's waitin' fur ye!" said Hagar, at the door.

"But, Uncle Richard," said Noll, in some perplexity, "I don't like to
go and have you all the time wishing me at home."

"I cannot help that," said Trafford, as he rose to answer Hagar's
call. "I have given you permission,--go."

The breakfast was a silent one. After it was over, and the door had
closed upon the grim master of the house as he went back to his books,
Hagar said,--

"Don't ye let nuffin make ye downhearted, honey! De Lord'll help ye,
ef yer Uncle Dick won't. 'Tain't de might nor de money dat'll do
eberyting, chile. All 'pends on whether de Lord's on yer
side. Jes' come in my ole kitchen and see what I's put up fur ye to
carry to dem yer mis'able folks."

[Illustration: "Dis yer is brof." Page 183.]

Noll got his overcoat and cap, and followed the old housekeeper into
her cozy and comfortable dominion.

"Look at dis yer," said Hagar, taking a basket off the table;
"jes' as chock full as nuffin ye ken think ob. Dis yer is
brof,--chicken-brof,--an' dat yer bundle is crackers. Dis bottle's de
med'cine, an' de chile is to hab a teaspoonful ebery half an hour. Ef
I could be there, de chile should hab a sweat, sure; but dis
med'cine'll hev to answer! Dis yer is a teaspoon an' a teacup, 'cause
ye won't find nuffin fit fur to drink nuffin out ob. Hagar knows how
dem yer Culm folks lib! Now, ken ye 'member all dat, honey?"

"Yes," said Noll, "and I thank you a hundred times, Hagar. I'd better
start at once, without waiting another minute."

The old housekeeper followed him to the door, cautioning, "Keep 'way
from dat yer sea, chile! Don't yer git into dat yer drefful tide,
honey! an' de Lord bress ye an' bring ye safe back!"

The wind was keen and bitter, and the sea thundered as mightily as on
the previous evening. Noll hurried along over the great patches of icy
sea-weed and frozen pools of water in the rocks and hollows, and
thought, now that he was making such haste, that the way had never
seemed quite so long before. He paused for a moment to look upon the
scene of last night's peril, and remember, with a shudder, how the
waves battered, and how they pierced and numbed him with their co