The Gayton Scholarship

evening. A few fleecy white clouds flaked the blue of the sky, and the sun's heat was tempered by a gentle breeze

eways, might see the flowers in all their glory of colour. She did not talk much; s

and then there were cries of "Good old Hartland!" "W

in, "is it true you've been

oved a joke, lau

ive 'em a hand if they're hard pushed. I can't prom

ed the boy; "you would

y evening crowd when they reached the main street, an

a paper," said

ck, with an air of wisdom; "the

was reading a paper, and would have passed our friends had no

y, and, with an odd look

and there's no nee

" said Jim; "he

d to join his chum when Te

rd the news?" he

ck. "We've only just come from the g

nking of

e's all

ointed with his finger to the

agraph, and immediately

aimed. "And fancy, to-day o

w him the paper, so that he can tell his mother. Luck

the next lot," replied Dick, slip

ther. "Somebody may stop Mrs. Hartland and blur

rtaking his friends, rather su

it's past tea-time, and Susie

, but she guessed from Dick's face that something was w

Jim as they turned into Cedar Road, where he li

l about it another time." And Dick nodded at the ch

pushed on quickly to the house. They were a

d so are Mrs. Pettifer's. There must be some one d

Dick's mother; while the boy, who trembled all ov

age into the passage. Then, between them, they carried S

for Dick to follow; so, after wishing Susie and he

d, "and pull the door to. T

Jim, wondering why

s in the paper; but there's only a

y enough, his voice sank to a whisper,

the Morning Star

at had happened, and why the neig

said he, "and let m

was very brief

including the chief mate, got ashore; but the captain, Robert Merritt, and the second mate, John Hartland, went

into one another; only the words, "the second mate, John Hartland, went down wit

was hurt by the look of pain on his chum's face

absently; "it

er into his pocket

mother to come ro

s. No, we shall be

the last few years. In spite of many obstacles Mr. Hartland had worked his way up to the position of mate, but on his first voyage as an officer had met with an accident which kept him in hospital for months. Then he found it hard t

ve. A few nicely-framed black-and-white pictures hung on the walls; long curtains draped the window tastefully; the grate shone by reason of many applications of elbo

her cheerfully; "your tea is poured out

I don't wonder at

mself to eat and drink. His mother, who was proud

s," said she. "When you were on the platform with all those gentle

d, and bit his lip to keep from crying out. The paper seemed to rustl

because he is lying at the bottom of the sea!" Yet it must be done.

ears, exclaimed, "Listen, there's the paper-b

-penny from her pocket. She was as excited as Susi

t his limbs tottered,

y his side. "You have overdone yourself, my boy," she s

ght, mother!" and then, with a wild cry, "O mother, mother, ho

e; only her lips twitched painfully, and she

d bravely; and the boy drew the paper

ried hard, but his voice broke down

s seemed only black dots which danced about a

me, mother,"

er's heart. But Susie was used to sorrow, and drew strength from her very weakness. Steadily she read through

ohn Hartland, went

n that little room the word

not uncommon, but perhaps it is as well that we do no

gone down, the evening shadows were gathering fast; so

senger boy with a telegram. It was from the owners of the Morning Star, b

aid Mrs. Hartland "but I am

aimed Susie stoutly. "He might have been picked

wered her; the idea was too wi

, and his experience of life had not been great. But his mother, while grieving bi

king, thinking earnestly about their future. She had planned great things for Jim, had buil

to herself; "I fear it will