is knocked to pieces, it will be a hard matter to get back to the wreck. All I can do is to pray Heaven that the schooner may hold together till I can manage to return on board."

These thoughts passed through his mind as the boat approached the beach. He saw that it would be utterly useless to try and induce the men to return. Indeed, the attempt at present would be dangerous. He again urged the crew to be careful how they beached the boat.

"The moment she touches jump out and try to run her up, for should another sea follow quickly on the first, she will be driven broadside on the beach, and before you can get free of her, you may be carried away by the reflux."

The Frenchmen and blacks, eager to save themselves, paid no attention to what he said. On flew the boat on the summit of a sea, and, carried forward, the next instant her keel struck the sand. Regardless of his advice, they all at the same moment sprang forward, each man trying to be the first to get out of the boat. He and Tom Fletcher held on to the thwarts. On came the sea. Before the men had got out of its influence, two of them were carried off their legs, and swept back by the boiling surf, while the boat, broaching to, was hove high up on the beach, on which she fell with a loud crash, her side stove in. Rayner, fearing that she might be carried off, leapt out on the beach, Tom scrambling after him. His first thought was to try and rescue the two men, who had been carried off by the receding wave, Looking round to see who was missing, he discovered that one of them was a British seaman, the other a Frenchman. He sprang back to the boat to secure a coil of rope which had been thrown into her, and calling on his companions to hold on to one end, he fastened the other round his waist, intending to plunge in, and hoping to seize hold of the poor fellows, who could be seen struggling frantically in the hissing foam. The Frenchmen and blacks, however, terror-stricken, and thinking ouly of their own safety, rushed up the beach, as if fancying that the sea might still overtake them. Tom and his messmate alone remained, and held on to the rope, Rayner swam off towards the Frenchman who was nearest to the shore. Grasping him by the shirt, he ordered Tom and Brown to haul him in, and in a few seconds they succeeded in getting the Frenchman on shore.

Ward, the other seaman, could still be seen floating, apparently lifeless, in the surf-now driven nearer the beach, now carried off again, far beyond the reach of the rope. The moment the Frenchman had been deposited on the sands, Rayner sprang back again, telling Tom and Brown to advance as far as possible into the

water.

Rayner, however, did not feel very confident that they would obey his orders, but trusted to his powers as a swimmer to make his way back to the beach. A sea rolled in. He swam on bravely, surmounting its foaming crest. He had got to the end of the rope, and Ward was still beyond his reach. Still he struggled. Perhaps another sea might bring the man to him. He was not disappointed, and grasping the collar of Ward's jacket, he shouted to Brown and Tom to haul away; but the sea which had brought Ward in rolled on, and Tom, fancying that he should be lifted off his legs, let go the rope and sprang back. Happily, Brown held on,

but his strength was not sufficient to drag in the rope. In vain he called on Tom to come back to his assistance. While tugging manfully away, he kept his feet on the ground, although the water rose above his waist. The next instant the sea bore Rayner and his now lifeless burden close up to where he stood. Rayner himself was almost exhausted, but with the help of Brown, and such aid as Tom was at length, from very shame, induced to give, they got beyond the influence of the angry seas. Rayner lost no time in trying to restore the seaman, but with sorrow he found that it was a corpse alone he had brought on shore.

A

The Frenchman, Jacques Le Duc, having been less time in the water, quickly recovered, and expressed his gratitude to Rayner for having saved him.

66

Mais, ma foi! those poltroons who ran off, afraid that the sea would swallow Even Tom was struck by his officer's them up, should be ashamed of them-courage and thoughtfulness; and he and selves," he exclaimed. his messmate promised to obey his orders.

"You had best show your gratitude, my friend, by getting them to assist us in bringing off my brother officer and the seaman from the wreck," answered Ray"I fear that she will not hold together many hours, and unless they are soon rescued they may lose their lives."

ner.

"I will try and persuade them to act like men," answered Jacques." You have twice saved my life, and I feel bound to help you."

Saying this, Jacques, who had been assisted on his legs by Tom and Brown, staggered after his companions, shouting to them to stop.

On seeing him, they only ran the faster. "Do you take me for a ghost!" he cried out. "Come back, come back, you cowards, and help the brave English

man!"

At last they stopped, and Jacques was seen talking to them. In a short time he came back, saying that they declared nothing would induce them to return to the wreck; that the boat, they knew, could no longer float, and that there was no other means of getting off; that if they remained on the shore they should be starved, and that they must hurry away in search of food and shelter before night, which was fast approaching.

Rayner, baving now committed himself to the care of Heaven, prepared to swim off to the wreck. He knew that Oliver would see him coming, and would be ready to help him get on board. Waiting until a sea bad broken on the beach, he followed it out, and darting through the next which rolled forward, he was soon a long way from the shore. He found he could swim much better than before, now that he had no rope to carry. Boldly he struck forward. Happily he did not recollect that those seas swarmed with sharks. On and on he went. Now and again, as a sea rushed over the reef, he was thrown back, but exerting all his strength, he struggled forward. He was nearing the wreck, and could see that Oliver, who was eagerly watching him, had get hold of a short length of rope, with which he stood ready to heave when he should be near enough. But he felt his own strength failing. It seemed almost beyond his power to reach the wreck. Still, it was not in his nature to give in, and making a desperate effort, striking out through the surging waters, he clutched the rope which Oliver hove to him, and the. next instant was clambering on board. Throwing himself down on the deck, he endeavoured to regain his strength, Oliver grasping him tightly with one hand, while he held to the stanchion with the other.

"Then we must see what we can do by ourselves," said Rayner. "We cannot allow Mr. Crofton and Peak to perish while "I knew you would not desert us, Raywe have any means of going to theirner," he said. "But now you have come, assistance. I must first see if we can patch how are we to get this poor fellow to the up the boat so as to enable her to keep shore? I could not leave him, or I would afloat." not have allowed you to risk your life by returning on board. We must try and knock a raft together sufficient to carry Peak, and you and I will swim alongside it, if we cannot make it large enough to hold us all three. There's no time to be lost, though."

On examining her, however, it was discovered that several of the planks on one side were stove in, and that they could not repair her sufficiently to keep out the water. At first Rayner thought of making a raft out of the materials of the boat, but he soon came to the conclusion that he should never be able to paddle it against the seas which came rolling in.

66

"It must be done," he said to himself. "I have swum as far in smooth water, with no object in view; but strength will be given me, I trust, when I am making an effort to save my fellow-creatures. Crofton might perhaps swim to the shore, but nothing would induce him to leave a shipmate alone to perish.”

All this time Oliver and Jack could be seen seated on the deck, holding on to the stanchions to save themselves from being washed away by the seas which, occasionally breaking over her side, poured down upon them.

Providentially the wind had by this time decreased, and the tide having fallen, the seas struck with less fury against the wreck and enabled the two midshipmen to work far more effectually than they could otherwise have done.

Jack begged that he might try and help them, but they insisted on his remaining where he was, lest a sea should carry him off, and he might not have the strength to regain the wreck.

Fortunately the two axes had been preserved, and going below, they found several lengths of rope, though not of sufficient strength to form a safe communication with the shore. They would serve, however, for lashing the raft together.

They quickly cut away some of the bulkheads. They also discovered below several spars and a grating. By lashing these together, they in a short time formed a raft of sufficient size to carry all three. They next made a couple of paddles with which to guide the raft. They were very rough, but they would serve their purpose. It was almost dark by the time the raft was finished.

thin clothing, and made them feel very from the windows of some house, where chilly. they ould obtain the rest and food they so much required.

"We must look out for food and shelter," observed Rayner. "Perhaps we shall fall in with some of the huts of the black people where we can obtain both, though the country did not look very inviting when there was light enough to see it. I, however, don't like to leave the body of that poor fellow on the beach."

"Fletcher and I will try and bury him, sir," said Jack.

"I don't see much use in doing that," growled Tom. "He can't feel the cold. It will keep us here all the night, seeing we have no spades, nor anything else to dig a grave."

They were not long in discussing some of the sausages and bread which Oliver produced.

"I feel much more hearty, sir," said Jack, when he had swallowed the food. "I don't fancy there's so much the matter with me after all, only my leg and back do feel somewhat curious."

"Come," said Rayner, 66 we must make the attempt, for we cannot tell what sort of weather we shall have during the night."

With forethought, they had fixed some lashings to the raft with which to secure both Jack and themselves. It floated with sufficient quietness to enable them to place Jack upon it.

"We must not forget the food, though," said Oliver. "Do you, Peak, hold the basket, and do not let it go if you can help it."

They took their seats, and lashing themselves to the raft, cast off the rope which held it to the wreck, and began paddling away with might and main.

The seas rolled in with much less force than before, though there was still considerable risk of the raft capsizing.

While under the lee of the wreck they proceeded smoothly enough, but the seas which passed her ahead and astern meeting, several times washed over them. As they approached the shores they could see through the gloom three figures standing ready to receive them.

"I am glad those fellows have not deserted us, for after the way they before behaved I did not feel quite sure about the matter," said Rayner.

While he was speaking, a sea higher than the rest came rolling along in, and lifting the raft on its summit, went hissing and roaring forward.

"Be ready to cast off the lashings, and to spring clear of the raft, or it may be thrown over upon us," cried Rayner.

He gave the warning not a moment too soon, for the sea, carrying on the raft, almost immediately dashed it on the beach. Springing up and seizing Jack Peak by the arm, he leapt clear of it. They would both have fallen, however, had not Tom and Brown dashed into the water and assisted them, while Le Duc rendered the same assistance on the other side to Oliver.

Before the raft could be secured the reflux carried it away, together with the basketof provisions, and it soon disappeared in the darkness.

His good intentions, however, were frustrated, as no pieces of board could be found, and they were compelled at length to be satisfied with placing the body on a dry bank out of the reach of the water. This done, they commenced their march in search of some human habitations, Tom and Brown supporting poor Jack, who was unable to walk without help, between them.

"I think I caught sight of a glimmer among the treos. Look there!" said

Oliver.

They took the bearings of the light, and descending the hill, endeavoured to direct their course towards it. At last they reached a road, which they concluded must lead towards the house where the light had been seen. They went on some way farther in darkness.

"We are all right," cried Oliver. "I caught sight of three lights from as many different windows. That shows that it is a house of some size."

"I don't know whether that would be an advantage," observed Rayner. "The owner may dislike the English, and refuse to receive us, or send off to the authorities and have us carried away to prison."

"But you and Le Duc and Peak, as you speak French, may pass for Frenchmen, and a man must be a curmudgeon if he refuses to afford assistance to sailors in distress," observed Oliver.

"I can't say much for Peak's French, or for my own either. I would rather state at once who we are," said Rayner. Le Duc is an honest fellow, and he will explain why we came on the coast, and will tell them how we saved his life."

Le Duc, being asked, replied that he would gladly undertake whatever the English officers wished, and it was arranged that as soon as they got near the house he should go on and ascertain the disposition of the inhabitants. Should they be ill-disposed towards the English he was to return, and they would go on rather than run the risk of being detained and sent to prison.

The country, from the glimpse they had had of it, appeared more inviting to the west, but Rayner reflected that by going in that direction they would get farther and farther from the Spanish territory, but were they once to reach it, they might claim assistance from the inhabitants. How many miles they were from the border neither Rayner nor Oliver was certain; it might be a dozen or it might be twenty or thirty. Le Duc could give them no information. It was difficult to find the way in the darkness; they could indeed only guide Sooner than they had expected they got themselves by listening to the roar of the close up to what was evidently a house of breakers, with an occasional glimpse of the considerable size, as the lights came from dark ocean to the right. The two officers windows some distance above the ground. agreed that it would be of great advantage While Le Duc went forward the rest of the to get into Spanish territory before day-party remained concealed under shelter of light, as they would thus avoid being taken prisoners. Though their object in coming on the coast was a peaceable one, it would be difficult to induce the authorities to believe that this was the case. Le Duc promised that he would bear testimony to the truth of the account they intended to give of themselves, but, he observed, "My word may not be believed, and I myself may be accused of being a doserter. The people hereabouts do not set much value on human life, and they may shoot us all to save themselves the trouble of making further inquiries."

These observations, which Rayner translated to his companions, made them still more anxious to push on. He and Oliver led the way with Le Duc, whom they desired to answer should they come suddenly on any of the inhabitants.

They went on and on, stumbling among rocks, now forcing their way through a wood, now ascending a rugged slope, until they found themselves at what appeared to have been a sugar plantation, but evidently abandoned, for the fences were thrown down, though the shrubs and bushes formed an almost impenetrable barrier. They discovered, however, at last, a path. Even that was much overgrown, though they managed to force their way through it.

When once out of the plantation they found the road less obstructed. Reaching a rising ground, they eagerly looked round, hoping to see a light streaming

some thick bushes. He had not got far when a loud barking showed that several dogs were on the watch.

He advanced, however, boldly, calling to the dogs, and shouting for some one to come and receive him.

The animals, though satisfied that he was not a thief, seemed to suspect that there were other persons not far off.

"I say, here the brutes come," whispered Tom. "They'll be tearing us to pieces. The people in these parts, I have read, have great big bloodhounds to hunt the Indians with. If they come near us we must knock them over.'

"That won't make the people inclined to treat us more kindly," answered Jack. "When the dogs find we are quiet they'll let us alone."

Just then the voice of some one was heard calling the dogs, who went back to the house.

Some time passed. At last Le Duc's voice was heard. It was too dark to see him.

"It's all arranged, messieurs," he said. "There's an old lady and two young ladies in the house. I told them all about you, when they said that they were fond of the English, and would be very happy to give you shelter and food, but that you wust come quietly, so that no one but their old brown maître d'hôtel, and black girls who wait on them, should know that you are in the house. Follow me, then, and just have the goodness to tell the men that

they must behave themselves or they may be getting into trouble."

"I'll tell them what you say," observed Rayner, and turning to the three seamen he said, "Remember that though you are on shore you belong to the Lily, and are, therefore, as much under discipline as if you were on board."

They now proceeded towards the house, led by Le Duc. The two officers going first, they mounted the steps, and getting inside the house, they saw an old mulatto carrying a couple of wax candles. He beckoned them with his head to follow, and led the way to an inner room, when an old lady advanced to meet them. Behind her came two young ladies, whom the midshipmen thought very handsome, with dark flashing eyes and black tresses, their costumes being light and elegant, and suited to that warm clime. The old lady introduced them as her daughters, Sophie and Virginie. The midshipmen advanced bowing, and Rayner, who was spokesman, apologised for appearing in their wet and somewhat torn clothes.

"We have received the invitation madame has been so kind as to afford us, and we throw ourselves on her hospitality." He then repeated what he had told Le Duc to

say.

"You shall have your necessities supplied, and I will gladly do all I can to protect and help you regain your ship," she said. "I was once with my daughters taken prisoner when on a voyage from France by an English ship-of-war, and we were treated by the English officers as if we had been princesses. Ah! they were indeed true gentlemen! They won our hearts," and she sighed. "I thought two of them would have become husbands of my daughters, but stern duty compelled them to sail away after they had landed us, and we have never heard of them since."

"We will gladly convey any message to them, if you will tell us their names, and the ships to which they belonged," said Rayner, "should we be fortunate enough to fall in with them."

"My daughters will tell you by-and"answered the old lady. by," You, I see, require to change your dresses, which you can do while supper is preparing. My 'maître d'hôtel will look to your men with the help of the French sailor whom you sent up with your message."

"One of them was hurt on board the wreck, and requires some doctoring, I fear," said Rayner. "He managed to drag himself, with the assistance of his shipmates, thus far, but he must be suffering."

"Be sure that I will attend to him," answered Madame La Roche. "I have some skill in surgery, and it will be a satisfaction to exercise it on one of your countrymen; but now François will conduct you to a room, and supply you with such garments as he can collect. Your men in the meantime will be attended to."

François on this stepped forward with his candles, and, with an inimitable bow, requested the young officers to follow him. They bowing again to madame and her daughters, followed the maître d'hôtel, who led the way to a large room with two beds in it, as also a couple of cane sofas, several chairs, a table, and, what was of no small consequence, a washhand

stand.

"De best ting messieurs can do will be to get into de bed while I bring dem some dry clothes," said François.

Rayner and Oliver requested, however, that they might be allowed, in the first place, to wash their hands and faces.

This done, they jumped into their respective beds, and when once there they agreed that if they were not so hungry, they would infinitely prefer going to sleep to having to get up again and make themselves agreeable to the ladies. As soon as François got possession of their clothes he hurried away, but shortly returned, bringing with him a supply of linen and silk stockings, and two antiquated court suits. They were, he said, the only costumes which he considered worthy of the English officers, and he begged that they would put them on without ceremony.

Certainly," answered Rayner, taking off his silk coat, and placing his sword on the table. "We'll talk of that tomorrow."

They had not placed their heads on their pillows many seconds before they both were fast asleep. (To be continued.)

BATTLE BETWEEN WHALE AND

François assisted them in the operation of dressing, and after they had tied their neckcloths, he begged, with a low bow, to fasten on their swords. When their costumes were complete he stepped back, and surveyed them with evident satisfaction.

Oliver could not keep his countenance, but laughed heartily for some time.

over,

"It's just as well to get it Rayner," he said; "for otherwise I could not help bursting out every time I looked at you."

The maître d'hôtel, however, did not appear to think there was anything laughable in the appearance of the two Englishmen.

Oh, messieurs! you are admirable. Let me have the honour of conducting you to the saloon." Saying this he took up the candles, and with stately step marched before them, until they reached a large room, in the centre of which was a table spread with a handsome repast.

Madame La Roche, coming in, took the head of the table, and the young ladies, sailing like swans into the room, placed themselves by the side of their guests, on the strangeness of whose costumes they made not the slightest remark. Rayner and Oliver had become somewhat faint from long fasting, but their spirits quickly revived after they had eaten some of the viands placed before them. At first they supposed that the repast was served up solely on their account, but from the way the girls and their mother kept them in countenance, they were satisfied that they had simply come in for the family supper.

Rayner talked away, now to the old lady, now to the young one at his side, while Oliver found that he could converse much more fluently than he had supposed.

After a time, however, they found it very difficult to keep their eyes open, and Rayner heard the old lady remark to her daughters, in pitying accents, that "Les pauvres garçons much required rest, and that it would be cruel to keep them up longer than was necessary."

She accordingly summoned François, who appeared with his huge candlesticks. Wishing them good-night, the old lady

N one of my voyages to the Cape of Good Hope had the good fortune to witness an encounter between a whale and a powerful fish known as the Thresher-shark. We were going along under easy sail off St.

Helena. Our

attention was called to a huge whale which rose did he make his appearance than a large within a short distance of the ship. No sooner thresher-shark, some thirty feet long, propelled itself suddenly from the water to a great height, sending up a column of spray around it as it rose and precipitated itself with all its weight upon the unfortunate whale.

It struck its victim with such force that the

shock was heard on board the vessel like the boom of distant thunder, and this at the distance of at least half a mile.

The whale sank rapidly, on receiving this punishment, but again rose to the surface after a short interval, and was no sooner visible than where it would come up, repeated its attack by the thresher, who seemed instinctively to divine administering the most terrible sledge-hammer blows in quick succession with his powerful tail.

And thus the "Homeric battle "went on. An old whaling captain who was on board assured me that the whale often succumbs to the persistent assaults of his enemy, and that the circumstance of his rising to the surface so soon after his disappearance is to be accounted for by the fact, vouched for, as he said, by all old "whalers," occasions by a friendly sword-fish, which does that the thresher is always accompanied on these its best to stimulate the whale with his sword come to the surface again, where the thresher

to

awaits him.

I have no doubt that the name "Thresher"

given to this shark was suggested by the peculiar action of its flail-like tail when striking its prey. This can easily be understood on referring to the illustration, where it will be observed that the superior fork of that member is immensely prolonged and very flexible.

If the whale lives in dread of attack from his enemy the thresher, what must be the life of the flying-fish!

host of enemies, amongst which the albacore This beautiful little creature is beset by a and bonito are the most conspicuous. As one sails through the warm regions of the tropics, these little fishes may be seen on all sides rising in the air upon their transparent, gelatinouslooking pectoral fins, or wings, as they are

PETER

ETER and Dick did not have a very pleasant time of it after their return to Northcombe. Dick was constantly being asked how he liked a nursemaid's place, and if Peter made his appearance in the town he was met with cries of "Who stole the babby?” Married men with large families would, with a mock gravity, ask them whether they would take one of theirs off their hands, since young Mr. Morton couldn't part with his; and mothers, when they drew near, caught up their children and pretended to be afraid that the men would run away with one or other of them. Nancy Dobbin never passed Dick without tossing her head; and as to Peter, the outcry that met him in the marketplace whenever he went there would have frightened many a man from going there at all, let him want a good dinner as much as he might.

But Peter went on his way, let people say what they would. Dick felt more annoyed than he did, for Dick, being close to No Man's Land, would be sure to hear more of the little compliments people delighted in paying them both. Then

Dick felt very much hurt about Nancy Dobbin. He wanted to be married, and he felt that it was time he was married, and yet she would have nothing to say to him. Under these circumstances it is not to be wondered at that he felt very resentfully towards the boys, to whom he considered, rightly or wrongly, he owed all his misfortunes.

"If they would ha' let the brat go to the union there would have been an end of the whole thing," he said, not considering that even if poor Blossy had been in the union, Peter would most likely have made some excuse to take her from it when they found, as they imagined, that they could make money by doing so, and that the workhouse authorities might not have received her back so readily as John Morton had done.

Peter took things much more philosophically. Indeed, nothing ever troubled Peter but the loss of money. He grieved over all that Blossy had cost him, and he set to to make more and more with a determination that might have been laudable if only he had tried to make his money in a

better manner.

him. The quarter's rent was only thirty shillings, and what a merciful, patient landlord he was to wait so long as he was doing! Then he would look round the garden, and gather the finest carrots or the most tempting strawberries he saw-things that would have fetched their price in Northcombe market-and sit down and eat them, leisurely carrying off, perhaps, the finest cabbage or the best lettuce he could see. Poor Mrs. Fubbs worked hard to get her thirty shillings together, but she had never found it so difficult to make up her rent as she did just now, and at last felt that she should only be able to do it by the sale of the next swarm of bees. She had been promised a good price for them, and she hoped then to be free from Peter's unpleasant visits.

Her bees swarmed just at the time she expected they would do. She should have to wait a little for the money, the lady who had promised to become their purchaser being at that time in London. She was to have twelve shillings for them, and she had a pound put by, so that she now felt her rent secure, and told Peter as much the next time he came feasting at her expense.

Two days after that a distress was put into Mrs. Fubbs's house, and she saw her eight-day clock, that had been her grandmother's; her cushioned Windsor chair, in which her father used to sit and read the old Bible; and above all, her beautiful swarm of bees, which she had promised so faithfully to her good friend, who had often helped her in her troubles, all carried away in the broker's cart. There was the bed, too, on which she had slept with her little ones, all-all taken away for Peter's rent and the broker's expenses. She felt, as she said afterwards, as if it was no use fighting any more, and sat down and cried as if her heart would break.

"What's the matter, old lady?" said a pleasant voice, and looking up, Mrs. Fubbs saw Jack. She knew him very well. Everybody in Northcombe and around knew Jack, and she told him her troubles. Jack would have liked to help her, but he had only sixpence-halfpenny in the world. Jack never kept his money long. But he did what he could-he heard all the poor creature had to tell him, and that comforted her a little, and then he went home, and brought a basketful of good things from his mother's larder to her, and after that he went and had a talk with John. Perhaps Jack might have got the money for Mrs. Fubbs to take her goods from Peter, but Mrs. Carstone was away from home on a visit, a very unusual thing and a very unfortunate one, Jack considered, and so there seemed nothing for it but for Peter to have matters all his own way and get things pretty well at his own price.

Dick always helped Peter in cases lik this. He bought in the goods at the appraiser's own valuation-a very low one. Peter was on the best of terms with this U appraiser as well as with the broker. The bees went for four shillings, and exactly a week after they had left Mrs. Fubbs's garden they stood in Northcombe market with Peter and Dick keeping guard over them waiting a purchaser.

"They're a good sort, an' not common," said Mrs. Fubbs. My missus gave 'em to me that I lived with afore I was married I think she said they came from Italy. A good swarm o' that sort, hive an' all, is cheap at twelve shillings.'

plenty of visitors in the town, people from Barnum and Clifton, who had gardens at home, and who might like to have Italian bees to put in them. He should thus get his rent without waiting for it, and clear, perhaps, five or six shillings into the bargain. An' after all I've lost by that child," said Peter to himself, "I'd need to look after every shilling;" and then he went to Northcombe and called on hi his friend the broker. Trosa fost i

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A great many of the market-women were friends of Mrs. Fubbs. She herself was in a corner of the market-place, with her youngest child on her lap, and a basketful of garden produce before her. Her neighbours were full of sympathy for her wrongs and very indignant with Dick and Peter. They were well-to-do women in their way, farmers' wives and daughters some of them, who did not disdain to take the produce of their dairy or farmyard to market and dispose of it. Some of them were driven in comfortable carts from a distance; but others, the good wives of No Man's Land, who were not quite so prosperous, walked, and carried their baskets themselves, unless they had a donkey, or a stout son, to help them. The golden butter, the rich clotted cream-that crowning luxury of Devonshire

the fat pork and the fatter bacon, the bunches of flowers, the baskets of fruit, the piles of cabbages and lettuces, so fresh and cleau and crisp-looking, all make this special part of Northcombe market a very pleasant lounge for a Londoner. I thought so when I was there that bright summer in which I made the acquaintance of Jack and John and the dwellers in No Man's Land.

The good wives of the market were at breakfast when Peter and Dick entered with their bees. And these worthy dames do know how to breakfast. The snug little trays, so nicely set out with clotted cream and butter, and tempting bread and rich strong tea, made one feel that one wouldn't dislike being a market-woman at breakfasttime. These good things were supplied by