with her big rough hand, while she discoursed of
the good qualities of Stephen, and the bravery of her darling boy, to
whom she had been such a cruel monster in days gone by.

Poor Tottie, being of a sympathetic nature, would pat her mother's knee
and weep. One evening while they were sitting thus she suddenly seemed
to be struck with a new idea.

"Maybe, mother," said she, "Daddy an' Billy will come back. We've never
hearn that they's been drownded."

"Tottie," replied Mrs Gaff earnestly, "I've thoughten o' that afore
now."

Little more was said, but from that night Mrs Gaff changed her manner
and her practice. She set herself earnestly and doggedly to prepare for
the return of her husband and child!

On the day that followed this radical change in her feelings and plans,
Mrs Gaff received a visit from Haco Barepoles.

"How d'ye find yerself to-day, Mrs Gaff?" said the big skipper, seating
himself carefully on a chair, at which he cast an earnest glance before
sitting down.

This little touch of anxiety in reference to the chair was the result of
many years of experience, which told him that his weight was too much
for most ordinary chairs, unless they were in sound condition.

"Well and hearty," replied Mrs Gaff, sitting down and seizing Tottie's
head, which she began to smooth. She always smoothed Tottie, if she
were at hand, when she had nothing better to do.

"Heh!" exclaimed Haco, with a slight look of surprise. "Glad to hear
it, lass. Nothin' turned up, has there?"

"No, nothin'; but I've bin busy preparin' for Stephen and Billy comin'
home, an' that puts one in good spirits, you know."

A shade of anxiety crossed Haco's brow as he looked earnestly into the
woman's face, under the impression that grief had shaken her reason, but
she returned his glance with such a calm self-possessed look that he
felt reassured.

"I hope they'll come, lass," he said sadly; "what makes ye think they
will?"

"I feel _sure_ on it. I feel it here," replied the woman, placing her
hand on her breast. "Sweet Miss Lizzie Gordon and me prayed together
that the Lord would send 'em home if it was His will, an' ever since
then the load's bin off my heart."

Haco shook his head for a moment, then nodded it, and said cheerily,
"Well, I hope it may be so for your sake, lass. An' what sort o'
preparations are ye goin' to make?"

Mrs Gaff smiled as she rose, and silently went to a cupboard, which
stood close to the Du