em greatly. But the most
attractive thing of all to the young folks--because of the story connected
with it--was Grace Darling's boat. It was the captain who pointed it out
to his children.

"Who was she, papa? and what did they put her boat here for?" asked little
Elsie.

"She was the daughter of William Darling, the lighthouse keeper on
Longstone, one of the Fame Islands."

"Where are they, papa?"

"In the North Sea, on the coast of Northumberland, the most northern
county of England. They form, a group of seventeen islets and rocks, some
of them so small and low-lying as to be covered with water and not visible
except when the tide is low; and the passage between them is very
dangerous in rough weather.

"Two of the islands have each a lighthouse, and it was in one of those
that Grace Darling and her father lived.

"In 1838 a vessel called the _Forfarshire_ was wrecked among those
islands. William Darling, from his lighthouse, saw it lying broken on the
rocks, and sixty-three persons on it in danger of drowning. His daughter
Grace, a girl of twenty-two, begged him to go and try to rescue them. It
was a very dangerous thing to attempt, but he did it, she going with him.

"Both father and daughter were very strong and skilful, and by exerting
themselves to the utmost they succeeded in saving nine of the poor wrecked
creatures who were crouching there on the rocks in momentary expectation
of being washed off by the raging waves and drowned. They bore them safely
to Longstone."

"And that made Grace Darling famous," remarked Lulu.

"Yes," said her father. "Many people, many of the great and wealthy, went
to see the brave girl who had thus risked her own life to save others, and
they heaped upon her money and valuable presents; so that she was no
longer poor. But she did not live long to enjoy the good things bestowed
upon her. She died of consumption about four years after her famous
adventure."

"What a pity, papa! wasn't it?"

"For those who loved her, yes; but not for her, if she was ready for
heaven. Do you think it was?"

"No, sir, 'cause it is the happy land where Jesus is, and nobody is ever
sick or sorry or in pain. But I don't want to go there yet; I'd rather
stay a good while longer here with you and mamma."

"I want you to, darling, if such be God's will," he returned low and
tenderly, bending down to press a fatherly kiss on her round, rosy cheek.
"Your father would hardly know how to do with