A PECK OF TROUBLES.

lemon grass.

(Continued from page 167.)

VOLONEL DANVERS did not answer, for at that moment a bullet came singing through the air with its sharp 'ping, and a little puff of smoke was seen to rise out of the grass and shrubs, and melt slowly away into the blue air. No one was to be seen, except that, for a moment, something like a white turban could be made out among the Give way! Pull for your lives!'

shouted Colonel Danvers; and both the officers and natives bent to their oars and made the heavy boats rush through the water. Another shot fell harmlessly behind the stern of the second boat.

Some of the younger men would gladly have sprung ashore to attack whatever enemy was firing in this cowardly way; but, of course, this would be madness, and the best thing was to go on quickly. But every one was rather serious for a little while. However, nothing more happened to alarm the travellers. They passed another village, where the people stood and looked at them, and some little boys who were bathing swam to the boats and began to beg for money, diving and playing all sorts of tricks in the water to amuse the 'sahibs.'

So presently the younger people began to grow lively again, and declared that the shots were only a sort of practical joke, though Colonel Danvers still looked grave and anxious. "They took us for wild geese-quite fair game,' said Uncle Jack. And perhaps they were right; I quite agree with them, for one.' 'Speak for yourself, if you please, Mr. Seymour,' said a young lady.

Certainly, Miss Broome, I mean that I think we men look like wild ganders.'

'Quite so,' said Bryda's uncle, and he sang,

'And what do you think was in these
three ships,

On Christmas Day in the morning?
A muslin dress for Mrs. Sykes,

In the latest Paris fashion.'

At this the rest of the party laughed, for poor Mrs. Sykes was known to be fond of fine clothes. and now she looked miserably shabby and draggled like all the other ladies; but she was good-natured enough to laugh with the others.

There is something at the bottom of those boats,' said Colonel Danvers, who was watching them.

So much laughing had hindered the progress of their own boats, and those which had drifted down the river had been able to come closer. A heap, covered with canvas, lay in the bottom of the first one. Suddenly this was seen to move a little, and then the canvas, which seemed to be a large sail, was suddenly thrown aside, and in a moment the boat was seen to be full of Sepoys, with fire-arms and swords, who shrieked at the top of their voices, 'Deen, Deen!' (Faith, Faith!') and with this wild war-cry they began to fire on the unfortunate English, who were utterly taken by surprise, and could only hastily scramble for their arms which lay in the bottom of the boats.

Bryda had been sitting with her head leaning against her mother's shoulder, dreamily watching the river and all that went on. She remembered afterwards that in the confusion that followed, her father stooped down and kissed first her mother and then Bryda, as if he thought their last moments were indeed near.

There was a shock, then a scraping noise.

The rowers had done their best to hasten on, but the heavy boat had grounded heavily on a sandbank, and there she stuck, while the Sepoys came on faster and faster.

At that moment, a voice whispered in Bryda's ear, Trust to me, Missie Sahib, trust to me; I will do my best to save you, if you will only

trust me.'

And the next thing she knew was that a strong arm held her, and plunged with her into the cool water. She had never a very clear recollection of that time of terror; only dimly she could recall the shouts of Deen, Deen!' the shrieks of women, the voices of prayer and encouragement, and above all her father's voice calling out, 'Ladies, ladies! for Heaven's sake throw yourselves into the water! It is your only hope

She remembered, too, that a white, struggling thing floated down towards her, that Wazir caught it by the flowing hair, and thus, heavily burdened, swam some way down the swift current. Then the other sounds grew faint, her ears seemed filled with sweet music, she seemed to be sinking to sleep; and then she remembered nothing more.

CHAPTER XIII.-IN THE JUNGLE.

WAZIR ALI was bending over Bryda when she woke, and the first thing she did was to laugh in a weak way at the limp pulp to which his nice white turban was reduced, and the water that dripped from him.

Wazir showed his white teeth in a smile of delight when he saw her eyes open again. Looking round, Bryda saw that she was in a thick wood, or jungle. She could hear a noise as of firing and shouting, but it seemed very far off, and the only other human being near was Lottie Sykes, who seemed busily engaged in wringing the water from her long fair hair.

Oh, Wazir!' cried Bryda, where are all the others? Where are Father and Mother, and all ? Did you save me? Oh, do, do go and save them, dear, kind Wazir!'

How foolish you are, Bryda!' said Lottie, who seemed quite composed. Do you know what nonsense you are talking?' The others must be either all killed by this time or safe somewhere else, I should think.'

All killed!' Bryda almost screamed. Lottie,

How can

it is you who are foolish, or worse! you say such an awful thing so coolly? Say it isn't true, this moment!'

But Lottie's hands dropped in her lap, and she sat and gazed into Bryda's face with a strange, puzzled look.

It is so awful that I can't believe it: that is

why I can speak so,' she said. 'Pinch me, Bryda, will you? Surely this is only a horrible dream!'

But when Lottie began to feel how real it was, she sobbed and moaned and wrung her hands, and at last her grief grew so noisy that poor Wazir looked round in terror to see if any one were coming to listen.

6

Hush do hush, Lottie!' said Bryda, seeing his distress. You must not cry so.'

But my father and mother are killed!' sobbed Lottie, and I don't believe you care, Bryda, though your people are killed too—you don't even cry.'

'No,' said Bryda, 'I cannot.'

It seemed to her as if such a heavy weight of trouble rested upon her, and crushed back the tears, that she would have been quite glad to be able to cry like Lottie. Besides, Wazir was looking on in such helpless despair that she felt quite sorry for him.

'We have never thanked you,' she said, ' good, kind Wazir!' And she threw her arms round his neck and kissed the brown face.

(To be continued.)

'BE SURE YOUR SIN WILL FIND YOU OUT."

A

MAN being tried for a murder seemed likely to get acquitted; the evidence did. not appear to touch him at all, and he wore a very unconcerned look all through. At last a surgeon was called, who said the man had been killed by a gunshot in the head, and he produced the matted hair and stuff cut from and taken out of the wound. A basin of warm water was brought into Court, and as the blood gradually softened, a piece of printed paper ap peared the wadding of the gun—which proved to be the half of a ballad. The other half had been found in the prisoner's pocket when he was taken.

Do, lad? You can do nothing, but pray, as I do: God help your father! God help the ships, and God help us; for we must turn to, with this one oar, and get back, or we shall run ashore on the rocks, or be run down by a passing vessel.'

Sam, we can't go back and leave them there! I could never face Mother and tell her I'd come home to supper and a warm bed, and left my father and little brother out there?'

'Well, sonny; let's get ashore, anyhow. I've had enough of it, just as it is! If stout arms and a stronger, bigger boat can do anything, maybe your father will have his lights up yet; but we can't do that here, can we?'

'You're right, Sam,' said Ben, jumping to the stern of the boat; and, using the one oar as you saw him using it to scull the boat ashore that afternoon, threw himself manfully into the task, and between them they got the boat to the pier steps in a very short time, the wind and tide being both in their favour.

6

"Though I can't tell, mind you,' said Sam, as he fastened the boat, why 'Nezer couldn't have managed to light the lamps somehow, if it had laid him up for six months after!'

Long before dusk, little Charley had sat by the narrow window of the lighthouse, looking out to sea, marking that grey cloud widen, and watching the screaming sea-gulls-sure warning of a storm-wheeling round and round the lantern, scooping down into the sea, where they rode on the angry waves, or beating their wings

upon the frowning rocks, round which the sea swirled and eddied and foamed with everincreasing roar. Now, the dusk had fallen; the wind moaned hoarsely around the lonely tower, and the waves beat sullenly against its granite sides. The white wings of the screaming birds gleamed sharply against the heavy sky; the storm was rising, and the light-keeper, waking from an uneasy sleep, sat hastily up in bed and asked if the boat were come back.

'No, Dad,' faltered the boy, frightened now as much by his father's excited manner as by the gathering darkness and the noise without.

My poor laddie!' said the father, tenderly, and gathering the child into his arms. 'You wanted to stay, and now you're wishing you were home and safe in Mother's arms; and never mind poor Dad, eh?'

'No, Dad,' replied the boy, cheerfully, ashamed of his fears, and touched at his father's tone; 'I'm glad I'm with you; but the lamps-what shall we do?'

God knows, dear; I must try. What could have kept Ben, I wonder?'

'Father, I said I could light up, and I know I could; I've seen you so many times.'

But Father shook his head, and staggering out of bed proceeded, with Charley's help, to dress himself.

There must be a light, somehow, Charley, or we shall have the cries of drowning men in our ears soon; but you can't do it, child; you can't do it!'

Then, up the narrow winding stair, lantern in hand, they went together, the sick man reeling like one intoxicated, and the sweat of pain and weakness gathering in great drops upon his forehead. Up-leaning on his child's shoulder-while the wind rattled the casements above, went roaring round outside, and flung the heavy sea high up the trembling lighthouse till the spray, entering a broken pane or crevice above, came down on their heads in a shower. Up, still up; till, pale as death and gasping for breath, the light-keeper stepped within the threshold of the lamp-chamber and, with his boy, gazed up at the lamps.

(Concluded in our next.)