hink that he had one friend among the fish-folk, rough
and ignorant though they were. He remembered how, in the little
sea-town in which his father had once dwelt, the fishermen came at
last to love and respect the kind minister who worked so patiently to
raise them out of their slough of ignorance and degradation, and that
whenever his father walked among them, they flocked about him to
listen to his words and counsel, and watch for his look or smile of
approval.

"And," thought Noll, "if Uncle Richard would only do as papa did, what
a happy man he would be, and what good he could do for Culm!" But that
time--if ever it came--was yet a long, long way off, he thought, and
so the people must live on their old, dreary, wretched life till some
one taught them better.

The boy walked soberly home, with a great many serious, earnest
thoughts in his heart. Somehow, this morning's sight had made another
impression upon his mind beside that of sadness and disappointment. He
felt and saw that there was a great work to do. Who was to do it?

Hagar met him at the door, rejoicing that he had returned in safety,
but, stopping only to tell her that the child was dead, Noll went on
to the library. It was the boy's intention to open his heart to his
uncle, and tell him of all the want and wretchedness there was at
Culm, while the impression was so deep and vivid in his mind; but
Trafford sat at the organ and took no notice of his nephew's presence,
and, after a long lingering, Noll gave up the attempt for that day, at
least.

It was late in the afternoon when he went out for his accustomed walk.
Partly by accident, partly by design, he came to the little place of
graves in the frozen sand, and there found the funeral party from the
fish-huts just gathering about the shallow resting-place which had
been scooped for Dirk's treasure. The huddling crowd of poorly-clad
men and women respectfully made way for him, and Dirk looked
unutterable thanks for what he considered a great honor. Without a
prayer, without a word of consolation, the little one was lowered
into the earth amid the wailing of the women, and the shrill and
lonely screaming of the fierce and bitter wind.

Noll had never seen anything so unutterably dreary, and when all was
over, and the mourners had disappeared over the other side of the
Rock, he went home, thinking more deeply than ever of the work to be
done, and wondering who was to do it.

CHAPTER