father's love."

"Thou shouldst think well of thy father's wife, and honour his choice.
Stepmothers, child, have a hard task: they cannot please, do what they
will."

"Grandmother," said the boy, "kindness makes kindness, all the world
over. But, come what will, when uncle comes home, Dick and I will go to
Plymouth, if we walk barefoot. I am sure he would break his heart, if he
had not me to fight his battles; but I will never forsake him by land or
by sea."

"Go to the children, and take care of them," said the old woman.

"And come to my house at four o'clock on Saturday afternoon, and ask for
Mrs. Adair."

The boy made a bow in a blunt manner; but, as he waved his hand in
passing her, she thought there was an appearance of good breeding, that
would not have disgraced a boy in a much higher sphere.

CHAPTER XVIII.

Mrs. Adair waited a considerable time in the cottage, and then returned
home without receiving any satisfactory account of her pupil. All that
she could learn was, that a little girl in a green bonnet had been seen
stepping into a stage-coach. As coaches were continually passing the end
of the village, she knew it was in vain making further inquiries. She
wrote, however, immediately to Mr. Bruce, and sent a messenger with the
letter, that he might meet them in town.

It has been observed, that Miss Bruce, in most cases, acted without
reflection. The idea that she had done wrong did not strike her with
full force, until the carriage in which she had placed herself arrived
in London: the lights from the lamps, however, seemed to throw light
upon her thoughts. When the coach stopped at the inn, the bustle of
people gathering their luggage together, the idea that she did not know
the road to her father's house, the certainty that she had acted in a
very foolish manner, and fear of the reception from her father, excited
many disagreeable thoughts. She was seated in a corner of the coach, at
a loss how to proceed, when the coachman came to the door. "Miss," said
he "won't you alight? perhaps you are waiting for somebody?"

"I will thank you to take me home," and this was said in a very humble
tone.

The man whistled at the request. "I don't know, Miss, whether I can or
no. Did not your friends know that you were coming? But now I think of
it, you seemed in a fright when you got into the coach: what, was you
running away, Miss?"

Vexed at the question, Miss Bruce quickly answered, "I am goi