to find the earth bright or beautiful.

With such thoughts as these in his heart, Trafford was silent a long
time. The sun set, and shadows began to steal over the sea, gradually
and softly wrapping its farther distances in hazy indistinctness.
Hagar's voice, from the kitchen-door, where she was calling her
chickens to their supper, floated around to his ears and awoke him
from his long and sorrowful reverie. He started up, surprised to see
how fast the light had flitted from sky and earth. Noll still sat on
the bit of grass, busy over a heap of shells and pebbles, which he had
gathered during his afternoon walk. Trafford looked at him a few
minutes in silence, and finally asked,--

"What plans have you made for winter about your school, my boy?"

A sudden look of surprise flitted over the boy's face ere he answered,
"I haven't made any, Uncle Richard. I can't, you see, because the days
will be so short that I'm afraid there'll not be time after my
recitations. And there's no stove nor fireplace in the room, and not
much of anything comfortable. But I'm going to try, though," he added,
hopefully.

Trafford was silent and thoughtful for a long time. At last he said,
"What would you say if I forbade you to continue your school through
the winter?"

"I don't think you'll say that, Uncle Richard," said Noll,--not very
confidently, however. "I should be very sorry to give it up now."

"Even if I thought it best?"

Noll could not deny but that he should. "They're just beginning to
learn," he said, "and it would be too bad for them to lose all they have
gained. Don't you really think so, too, Uncle Richard?"

[Illustration: Culm Rock.]

Trafford made no reply to this question, but, when he spoke again,
said, "Not even if another teacher filled your place, Noll?"

The boy's tongue was silent with wonder and astonishment. Then,
thinking his ears had deceived him, he said, "Why--why--what did you
say, Uncle Richard?"

"I asked you," said Trafford, "whether you would be willing to give up
the school if another teacher took your place?"

The warm, eager color rushed into Noll's face, and he cried, "Do you
mean that--that--a teacher might take my place, Uncle Richard? Do you
really mean it? Were you in earnest, and shall I answer?"

"To be sure," said his uncle, gravely enough.

"Oh, Uncle Richard!" cried Noll, "I _knew_ the time would come some
day! I knew it! I knew it! And will you hire