My brother's keeper, by Amy Lothrop. By miss Wetherell

abroad but sea gulls, and what there were mere specks. By dinner time two or three of them were nearer, but the Captain knew them for American coasters; and having pointed out Hart Island to Rosalie, and told her that at this rate she would be in New Haven before she knew it, they went to dinner.

"You have spent all your life in this way, Captain?" said Rosalie. "Set afloat afore I knew a painter from a buoy," returned Captain Pliny; not at all aware that his hearers had not yet attained that knowledge.

"And what sort of a life do you call it?" said Thornton. "First rate!" said Captain Pliny. Can't be beat, if you go the world over and try your hand at everything."

"Tedious enough, I should think," said Thornton.

"Why as to that, young gentleman," said Captain Pliny, "there's many a one, I do suppose, too fresh to like salt water. But no man who does his duty has a right to call his life tedious-or I might say, a chance; for those very things are just what he was put into the world to do. If he will ballast his ship according to his own fancy, not for her build and cargo, no wonder if she don't sail well.'

“One might have a bad cargo though," said Thornton.

"Not without you've got sense to match," said the Captain. "The best cargo's what'll fetch most where you're going.-The end of the voyage, young gentleman, and the profits-keep your eye on them, then load your ship and make sail."

"Now here were you only yesterday getting a bad cargo," said Thornton.

"Bad? no," said Captain Pliny with a smile-"just a thought too good; and I wont say that feminine bills of lading are always made out true. Put 'em in another hull's the best way-let them have their craft and keep your own,-keep at a safe distance and you may sail on together "most"

"Sloop, ahoy!"

The words rang through the Old Thirteen as if she had been a speaking trumpet herself. Before they had died away Captain Pliny stood on the deck with his own trumpet in hand.

"Old Thirteen-New York-Pliny Cruise, commander,"-the words almost knocked each other down with the rapidity of their egress.

"Put about

came from the other vessel, which was one of

the Government coasters. Enemy below."

"What force?" returned the Captain.

"Frigate-38"--was the reply.

"How far?"

"Four miles."

Captain Pliny laid down his trumpet and turned to confront his passengers, who stood close behind him.

"I told you so, Mr. Clyde," he said. "I showed you a squadron laid down in my chart, as plain as the old Point herself. Never launch a feminine craft on no sea but the Pacific."

"What is to hinder our running for New Haven and out-running the frigate?" said Thornton.

Might fall out that we shouldn't win the race," said the Captain. "But you run past these frigates continually.

"Just so," said the Captain,-"I do, sartain :-hope to again,when there's only Pliny Cruise aboard, it don't signify. I'd rather be shot through than have the Old Thirteen turn tail this fashion." Sloop ahoy!" came from another coaster that was bearing down upon them.

Ay, ay!" said Captain Pliny, catching up his trumpet to reply. Frigate ahead-38 guns-run!" was shouted out as the vessel swept by.

Now there's a few of the unpleasant'st words!" said the Captain though I've heard it all afore. Not a gun-'cept for salutesI'd like to give 'em a kiss once!-Must be done.-Put about there!" he shouted, "haul down her colours!-all sail for New York?" And as he walked off the Captain tried to console himself with,

"Can't run a feminine craft into danger-can't-it goes agin my conscience."

And as one sail after another spread out in its place, until near all were set that she would carry, the Old Thirteen changed her course, and went scudding up the Sound. But as if to show his good inclinations, the Captain seated himself with his face in the other direction, and sailed backwards,

Pliny Cruise," he said to himself, " never engage a cargo again without knowing what it is."

The wind held on its way and the vessel on hers without interruption; but the passengers took their tea alone, and Captain Pliny would not leave the deck. There Thornton found him when he went up at nine o'clock, but Rosalie and Hulda remained below.

Captain Pliny was on his feet now, standing motionless at the stern of the vessel; his eyes doing what eyes could do to pierce the darkness on all sides, but especially in the wake of his own sloop.

"Dark night," said Thornton, as he came up.

"If we don't get more light on the subject afore another hour, be thankful," said the Captain. You see them lights astarn? they're after us, as sure's my name's what it is; and whichever of us gets in first 'll have the best of it."

"After us?" said Thornton. The frigate?"

Something less than that," said Captain Pliny,-"nothing more than a sloop, I take it. But she follows us. I've veered once or twice to try her, and when she turns you can see eight mouths on a side."

"Lights?" said Thornton.

Ay-at her ports," said the Captain, coolly. "I can't tell yet which of us gains.'

"Hoa! ship ahoa!" came faintly from the pursuing vessel. "There you are!" said Captain Pliny. "Mind your own business and leave Yankees to ask questions. Make sail!" he added, turning quick about. "If we've got to show the white feather it shall be a good one?" And as more and more canvas was spread and filled there came another hail borne down on the night wind. "She'll speak louder next time," said Captain Pliny,-" and

we've got no more canvas. Go below Mr. Clyde, and take care of your glassware. What man can do has been done-what the Lord will, let him do."

But Thornton stood still.

Two or three port-hole lights appeared now, and presently a. brilliant flash shot out into the darkness, aud a ball whizzed through the mainsail of the little sloop which was spread out beforethe wind.

"Plain speaking," said Captain Pliny, almost leaning over the stern of his vessel in his interest. "There comes another;-and a third; right through her sails, both on 'em.'

But the fourth shot fell astern.

"We gain now," said the Captain, with a voice less clear than before. "I doubt Mr. Clyde there's something stronger than wind helping us on."

And as if impelled by some new power the Old Thirteen sped along, until even the lights of the pursuing vessel grew dim in the distance. Not until then did Thornton quit the deck.

Rosalie sat by Hulda's bed, so motionless that her brother at first paused lest she might be asleep. But she looked up, and as he came and sat down by her she laid her head on his shoulder, and neither spoke nor moved till the day broke. Captain Pliny's advice needed no further repetition.

CHAPTER XXVI.

O blessed nature, "O rus! O rus!"
Who cannot sigh for the country thus,
Absorbed in a worldly torpor-

Who does not yearn for its meadow-sweet breath,
Untainted by care, and crime, and death,

And to stand sometimes upon grass or heath

That soul, spite of gold, is a pauper!-HOOD.

"IT'S an astonishing thing how much it takes to kill folks!" said. Martha Jumps the morning after their safe arrival in Massachusetts. "Beats all my arithmetic. Now here we are, just as 'live as can: be,-nobody'd guess to look at us that we'd been chased and run over and shot through."

The scene was the kitchen of the farm-house where Rosalie was: to spend the summer; and as Miss Jumps looked out of the open. window over a pleasant expanse of green meadows, cows, chickens, and corn fields, agreeably diversified with a red barn and a fair little brook; the perils of the sea appeared in strong contrast. Peace was the atmosphere around everything in sight. The cattle. cropped their grass in a quiet leisurely way, secure and satisfied; the shadows crept softly down the green slopes, aware of the sun's pursuit, but with no fear of being caught; and in the uncut fields the grass moved to and fro with the very motion of repose. Swift of wing and light of heart, the feather-clad tribes bestirred themselves for breakfast; and filled up that hour of the day with a merry song and chatter which did honour to their good sense and

to their business habits. No such morning songster would ever build his nest ill, or talk while it was abuilding, or tire on the wing when seeking food for his family. Such joy with a day's work. before it, said the work would be done well.

Some chickens were already in the cow meadow, circling about: the cattle as they nosed the rich herbage, and started a thousand insects; and others sauntered along wherever a chance grasshopper or a fly-away butterfly might lead them. And the little brook. murmured of freshness, of coolness, of no work but rest. And yet, its work was to run-and it ran,-tumbled too, occasionally, but, not as if it thought it hard work. Clearly the brook took things by their smooth handle. It ran not by the road, upon which opened the kitchen windows, but through a dell at the back of the housewhich oddly enough was also the front. For the house, with sin-. gular good taste, had set its face to the dell, and into that cool shade. looked the best windows and the best door; leaving the kitchen and wood-shed in full possession of the road, its dust, and its. passing wagons. Even the well, with its boom of a water-drawer, stood by the road-side; and visitors arriving in that direction had their choice of a walk through or a walk round the house.

"This is a queer place o' yours, Mrs. Hopper," said Martha. Jumps, when she had looked out of the window for the space of one minute. "It sounds dreadful quiet after York."

"Don't say !" replied Mrs. Hopper. 'Why there's a noise here: sometimes to that point, with the chickens and the dog and the children, that I can't hear myself think."

The voice issued from a dark blue calico sunbonnet, plentifully sprinkled with white spots, the apex to a tall and slim pyramid of the same. Two brown hands, hard and sunburnt, but nervous and. capable withal, rested on the window sill; and that was the outward display of Mrs. Hopper.

"I s'pose you're used to doin' with such noise as you can get, and makin' the most of it," said Martha.

"I guess I ought to be used to 'most everything here," said Mrs.. Hopper. "All the fetching up I ever got come off o' this farm, and. my forbears lived here longer'n I can count. It's a right good one, too."

"Looks enough like it," said Martha. your house wrong side before ?"

"How came you to get

"Didn't get it," said Mrs. Hopper, as if the words implied some mistake on the part of the house builder. "It was sot so a' purpose."

"What for?" said Martha.

"He was a thoughtful sort of a man that did it," said Mrs.. Hopper, "and he kind o' fancied the brook looked lonesome. Kitchen winders he said ought to have the sun on to them,-didn't. make no odds about the company side, for that warnt never used unless there was company. When a man's alone, he wants every-. thing done to him, and round there he said you couldn't hear a. wagon go by once a week. That's what they say he said-them that's gone now."

And Mrs. Hopper took off her sunbonnet, and having carefully bent it into shape, she put it on again; thereby giving a short view

of her hair, which had much the colour and appearance of dried corn silk, and of a face strong and weatherbeaten-useful but not ornamental.

Sunbunnits is dreadful smothery, aint they?" said Miss Jumps, as she surveyed the operation.

Why my, no, said Mrs. Hopper. "I don't never feel as though I had a stitch o' clothes on about my work without I have i a bunnit."

Well, I think likely you don't," said Martha, and I knew what that was once myself, but I've got out of the fashion. I haven't been in the country since I was fifteen."

"The land sakes!" said Mrs. Hopper. How the goodness did you get along? That's just Jerushy's years. Jerushy's real smart too, though you wouldn't think it to look at her; but she's always enjoyed such ill health. She faints away so easy,-a little scare or anything of that sort 'll keel her right over. I wouldn't wonder now if she'd drop if you told her Abijah was coming.'

Miss Jumps naturally inquired who Abijah might be.

Abijah?" said Mrs. Hopper" why that's my son-Abijah Hopper. Five foot nine in his stockings and as handsome as a pictur'. He's off to some fur'n country now, fighting for his'n.' "How old is he?" said Martha.

"Just in his two and twenty," replied Mrs. Hopper.

'He was first and then Jerushy; but Jerushy never see her father to know him."

'She didn't!" said Martha.

No," said Mrs. Hopper, taking off the sunbonnet and giving it another bend.

'Well, who are the children you tell about?" said Martha. "Not mine," said Mrs. Hopper-"The neighbour's saplingss come in here whiles and raise Cain with Jerushy."

"Got pleasant neighbours here?" said Martha. "Pleasant enough as folks run I said Mrs. Hopper,-" anda that's pretty much like a flock o' sheep. There's some fine families. But this wont make my child a frock," she added, tying her sunbonnet with great vigour and tightness. "What time does your folks breakfast?"

"O just when they take a notion," said Martha, imposingly. "That's the time o' day, is it?" said Mrs. Hopper. "Then I'll tell you what, they'll have to get it without me. I have to pour out coffee bright and early for the men folks, and it saves time to eat as I go along. And two breakfasts in a morning is one too many for my appetite."

I guess they'll all be glad o' the spare one," said Martha. "I'm hungry, for one."

"You look as if you was used to that-stall fed," said Mrs. Hopper. "But Jerushy can fry the eggs as good as I can, every bit, whenever they do get up,-and there's bread and butter enough in the pantry-cheese too if they like it; and pies, real good ones. Tell 'em to eat all they can lay their hands on.”

"They always have their eggs boiled," said Martha.

"Then they don't know what's good," said Mrs. Hopper. "But

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