No 42.

ΑΝ

NNA agreed smilingly to this somewhat humiliating military arrangement, and Marie ran gleefully towards the rocks, which rose high around that Swiss meadow. Behind

the rocks were the Alps, frowning down in solemn grandeur, and glistening with snow, of dazzling whiteness, which even the fierce heats of summer could never melt.

Anna waited a minute for Marie to get 'into position;' presently she heard a cry, too thrilling and full of agony to be caused by any game, even that of war:-'Anna! Anna! Come; oh, come!'

Anna almost flew to the rocks. Alas! she was too late. She saw Marie indeed, but was powerless to help her she was slowly being borne aloft towards the snowy mountain, held tightly in the beak and claws of an enormous lämmer-geyer, the vulture of the Alps!

Anna was paralysed with fear and by her utter inability to help in any way. She gazed after the retreating bird, already high in the heavens, and then ran off to seek her father. Alas! what could he do? The bird, with its prey, was already out of sight, and doubtless little Marie was by this time devoured by the fierce eaglets, to whom the vulture was carrying his prey.

A party of neighbours and guides at once climbed the mountain, and searched in all the rocks and crevasses for some trace of the child; but each and all returned unsuccessful.

It was

many months afterwards that a party of mountaineers, ascending the mountain by an unaccustomed track, came upon the nest of a lämmer-geyer; and amidst bones and pieces of the skin of lambs and other remains was the shoe of a little child, and when taken to the valley it was at once recognised as having belonged to little Marie.

Anna is a woman now, very grave and quiet for her age; but she is cheerful too, and invariably kind and tender to little children. Never-night or morning-since that sad day of Marie's death, has she failed to thank her heavenly Father on her knees that her last words to her little sister had been kind and loving, and that she had had grace given her to suppress the lazy, selfish speech that had been trembling on her lips.

Especially does she like to think of that sentence of Marie's in the sunny meadow: 'When the angels carry me to Heaven, I'll tell them how kind you are.' And angels truly carried the little one's spirit to Heaven, though it was the vulture who bore her body to the mountain-top.

E. A. B.

DAYS.

FTER the departure of the revenue cutter alluded to by Joe in his letter, Captain Beaumont informed his crew that their orders were to repair to Falmouth, there to wait further orders from the Government, which might be to the effect that the Penelope should join the fleet of Lord Nelson. Upon this the crew had asked for -in this case most unreasonably-a month's pay and a few days ashore at Plymouth.

This request Captain Beaumont coldly and decidedly refused.

The mutiny at the Nore was a thing of the past, and Parker and his near associates had paid the dread penalty of their treason; but the moody spirit of discontent-the fruits of that time when seamen got by intimidation what justice hitherto

had denied them-was rankling still; and it seemed ever ready to rise up and spread terror and death through the fleet.

And after dinner to-day on board the Penelope, as the men of one mess discussed their grievance, one of them, half in earnest, half in a spirit of impudent joke, laid his basin on the polished deck at his feet, and sent it spinning along past the mess-tables and up to the doors of the Captain's cabin, where it broke into pieces with a clatter.

With a shout of approval a hundred basins were sent skimming in the same direction. There was a tremendous crash as the numerous vessels met, and quite a heap of broken crockery lay at Captain Beaumont's door.

It was the match which set the train of mutiny a-blaze.

The warrant officers-the flower of the British navy, for they were the picked able seamen of

his Majesty's sailors, tried and proven in bravery, in nautical skill, and amid the battle and the breeze-flew to their different watches, and with ringing voices commanded their men to order.

As well try to force back a strong tide that has just leaped a long-resisting barrier. Plates, dishes, and grog-mugs and tubs, followed the basins, and swelled the disorderly and broken heap outside the ward-room door; and some laughing, some shouting and gesticulating, as men whose worst passions were let loose, messtables and benches were torn from their fastenings, and sent crashing down the decks.

'Here!' cried one brawny, dark-skinned fellow, whose shoulders and back were quite bare; don't let's play at showing what we mean. Stand by: let's give the haughty beggar a taste of iron!'

Half-a-dozen handspikes were instantly at work, and amid shouts, cheers, and coarse laughter, one of the ship's guns was moved round, and pointed at the quarters of the Captain and superior officers.

In a moment-not one of the lawless men could have said why-there was a sudden lull in the raging chorus that was drowning the rush of the rising gale, as Captain Beaumont, in fulldress uniform, came quietly out of his cabin and faced the yelling crowd, and that deadly iron muzzle pointed at his breast.

His officers gathered round him—two senior lieutenants, and such others as were not in the watch on deck above.

Gentlemen and heroes each one; they faced the raging sea of faces of their mutinous countrymen with half stern, half contemptuous glances. But as to whether they were afraid! Would Nelson have been afraid?

Captain Beaumont was a splendid fellow. His tall, broad form and swelling chest, his handsome, well-fitting uniform, his fine limbs set off to advantage by the white silk stockings and buckled shoes; his chestnut hair braided in a plait behind, and tied with a dark blue ribbon. And his first and second in command, nearly as tall and distinguished-looking as himself, planted themselves one on either side of him, and faced with that contemptuous look the fiercely-excited mob.

'No, Captain Lacy,' said Captain Beaumont, as the officer in command of the marines saluted

at this moment, and asked in a whisper if his men should fall in. Not yet, at any rate; the rebellious dogs will, I trust, need no such persuasion; and certainly I do not need their protection.'

'Men,' he continued, turning his fearless glance upon them, and folding his hands upon the pommel of his sword: a stiff gale from the south-east is blowing, and is likely to greatly increase in strength before we reach Falmouth. Your services and your vigilance are alike needed to save his Majesty's frigate from a lee shore, and to maintain her fighting-trim in view of the serious work that lies before us. I have little doubt that sooner or later we shall join the fleet of Lord Nelson

A cheer, a faint cheer-half stifled in a derisive shout that came from the ringleadersfollowed the allusion to Nelson; and holding up his hand to command silence, Captain Beaumont proceeded:

'I have little doubt, I say, that we shall join Lord Nelson. Don't let it be said the Penelope came into action, her Union Jack dragged in the mire by a mutinous crew!'

'Give us a few days ashore, then; give us a single day!' shouted a voice, 'to see our wives and sweethearts, and a few crowns to drink the King's, Lord Nelson's, and your honour's health with, and we'll fight like bull-dogs!'

'I have told you,' replied the Captain, when the confusion following this outburst had abated, 'you are madmen to make such demands of one who has no power to grant them. But I tell you now, if I had, I would not. No crew should coerce me in the smallest matter, and sooner than turn this ship's head from her course I would see her torn to firewood on yonder rocks, and the lot of you shot by a file of marines from the land as you tried to save your miserable lives from drowning!'

A yell of anger burst from the excited mass of bluejackets as this perhaps unwise declaration. was made, and there was a hasty movement near the gun.

'Gentlemen,' said the Captain to his two lieutenants, the choice lies between you as to which of you shall have the honour of spiking yonder gun, and prevent those wretched cowards from becoming murderers also.'

'Never, your honour!' cried a manly voice,