shoulders, and aren't they alive and warm?"

"Yes, it is really you, thank God!" said Trafford, drawing a long
breath, while he gazed upon the merry face that he never more expected
to see on earth.

"Yes, and oh, Uncle Richard, you can't know how I longed to see you,
to tell you that I was alive and safe! I knew you would worry, but I
didn't think you'd think me dead. I didn't think _that_ till we got to
Culm, and Dirk and all the rest trembled, and were actually going to
run away from me!"

"Then you have not been harmed?" said Trafford: "but oh, my boy,
where were you on that awful night?"

"Safe and sound, with Ned Thorn, at Hastings, Uncle Richard, and not
even dreaming of danger or shipwreck. You see, the furniture was not
ready, and I hadn't found a teacher, and so I stayed. Ned and I went
down to the wharf the night before the 'Gull' was to sail, and carried
a letter to the skipper to give to you, telling you why I couldn't
come; but poor Ben never got here alive, and the letter was lost with
him, I suppose. Oh, Uncle Richard, if I _had_ started,--if the
furniture had been ready--"

"Thank God it was not!" interrupted Trafford, presently; "he watched
over you, he stayed your coming, and now he has brought you out of the
sea, as it were, to me. Oh, Noll!"

The boy looked up eagerly. "Have--have you found the Lord Jesus, Uncle
Richard?" he asked.

Trafford's hands rested tenderly on the boy's head. "Yes," he said,
with a great calm and peace in his voice, "I found him through great
sorrow and grief. I think God led me through all this suffering that
my heart might be softened and turned toward him. And now this Saviour
has brought you back to me!"

A deep silence followed, full of unutterable joy. Trafford reverently
bent his head, his lips quivering with emotion, and with his nephew's
hands clasped in his, silently thanked God for his goodness, for this
great joy which was come into his life, for this precious lad that was
dead and now was alive again. It seemed as if God had brought him out
of the sea to him. At last Noll said, taking up his explanation where
he had left it off,--

"After we had given the letter to the skipper, I thought no more about
it, and Ned and I were busy enough with seeing about the furniture for
a day or two, and we didn't notice the storm, or even think of the
'Gull' being in danger. And Mr. Gray helped me to find a teacher, and
we were so busy with plans