Harry, and petitioned that the tender plant, if spared, might grow up a tree of righteousness of the Lord's planting-that it might, by prolonged life, bring forth far more ripened fruit; she prayed, as the infant had requested, that he might love Jesus-that he might ever be the lamb of the pasture, until he should become the lamb of the fold.

Some days passed before fear of danger was removed. Symptoms of dropsy had supervened, but these, through mercy, disappeared; and though the little frame seemed more delicate than ever, all cause for immediate alarm had passed away.

Little Harry, in his warm flannel dressing-gown, was one evening lying on his aunt's lap. He had been looking at pictures, but soon wearied, had nestled himself within her loved arms. "This dear, cosy place! Oh, auntie! I am always so comfortable when you hold me like a baby."

And then he was silent for a little while. At last he said, "I wonder, auntie, why I was allowed to be so ill, and yet not to die? I thought that people, when they were very ill, always died."

"Not always, Harry. Do you remember how ill auntie was once?"

Yes, but then that was an accident. Do you know, auntie, why I have been so ill?”

"I don't know all the 'why,' Harry, but perhaps it was to make you understand that pretty verse you learnt before you were ill: 'Yea, though I walk through the valley of

the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."

"Was being so ill, like being in the valley of the shadow of death?"

"Yes, darling, it was."

"Oh, then, auntie, Jesus was really with me. He made me happy. Do you think God made me ill for anything else?"

"To teach Auntie Ethie, and papa and mamma too, that their darling boy is just lent them, and God, to whom he belongs, can send for him whenever He likes; and Harry, I think God has taught Boosa that He is the great God, for Boosa now says he will never pray to an idol again."

"Does he, auntie?" and the tears filled the little boy's cyes. "Then I am very, very glad that God made me ill!" Harry's illness was a dark day to the mountain-clamberers, but it caused one to take up his pilgrim-staff and commence the ascent; it led another to be yet more disentangled from earthly things, and to press forward to the land where purified affection shall fear no rendings; and it hastened the little sufferer's feet to a point of view whence he saw heaven more plainly, and learnt to love God more perfectly. Harry's religious feelings were deepened, and more perseveringly the infant pilgrim sought henceforward to follow Jesus.

CHAPTER XXVI.

THE UNEXPECTED ARRIVAL.

Rise, my soul, and stretch thy wings,
Thy better portion trace;

Rise from transitory things

To heaven, thy native place.

Sun, and moon, and stars decay,

Time shall soon this earth remove;

Rise, my soul, and haste away

To seats prepared above."-MADAN.

A BRIGHT June sun had been shining all day, and was turning westward in its course, when Ethelda rode up to the station to meet her beloved brother Rowland, as he returned from college. She rode on Jeanette, and the servant led Dapple Grey, and Harry and Adah were, as usual, her little companions-mounted on ther gentle black ponies, Tiny and Gipsy. They knew the corner where the horses would stand undisturbed by the noisy train, and had waited but a short time when the whistle was heard; and then the train approached-and then it stopped-and then it was off, off, further north. There seemed to be some delay. Ethelda feared her brother had not arrived. "But I think he must have come, auntie, or Ferguson would be

back," said the little Harry; because Ferguson, who had come up with a cart for the luggage, was on the platform to meet the traveller.

"I hope he has come," said Adah, looking rather mournfully at the pretty flags she and Harry had fastened into their saddles.

"Oh! yes, there is Ferguson with a box: but it isn't Rowly's box."

"It is Hubert's!" exclaimed Ethelda; and in another minute, Hubert came bounding towards her, and with tears of joy she stooped from her horse and kissed the bronzed cheek of her sailor-brother. The tears were in Hubert's eyes also, and for a little while something choked him, and he could not speak. At last he said, "Well, Ethie, my girl, and how are you? You did not expect to see the old sailor-boy this morning; did you? And how is our father?"

"Quite well, dearest. But how have you come? And how are you, my darling fellow?"

"Oh! I'm well and hearty as can be. And here you are on old Jeanette still. And how are you, George? And what are these two young ones?"

George touched his hat, and looked well pleased; but the children seemed a little afraid and surprised, as if they could not quite understand Aunt Ethelda kissing any one but grandpapa and Uncle Rowly. "This is our Harry and that the little Jewish Adah."

"And where is Gerty?"

"She is in London, and we expect her home to-morrow."

"I wish I had known that, I might have brought her down with me. But, you are forgotten to-day," he said, turning to Rowly; "just, I suppose, like the moon when a comet makes its appearance."

Rowland did not feel forgotten. Compared to the time. of Hubert's separation, he felt as if he had seen his sister but yesterday. To the children, however, the sight of him gave fresh spirits.

Hubert and Rowland soon mounted Dapple Grey and Rollo, the groom's horse; but they did not canter. There was too much to talk about, and Hubert was already making friends with the two little strangers. When they had alighted, he was soon beneath the old elm-tree, with the children upon his knees.

"What do you call your flag, Harry?"

"It is the Union Jack; but I call it Uncle Hubert's flag. Adah's is Uncle Rowly's flag, and there is 'Excelsior' on it."

"Then you must have known that I was coming home. Did you, little one?" turning to the black-eyed Adah.

"No; but you know what one has, the other must have, so Aunt Ethelda made us both flags."

"And what does 'Excelsior' mean, Harry ?" inquired Hubert, in a less careless tone than before.

"It means 'higher! higher!' You know we are all trying to get higher."

"Now, explain yourself, young man. Do you mean you are trying to get taller?"