shoes with buckles. His shirt-front was frilled; he never wore a neckcloth or tie, but to a button of strange form was fastened a large turned-down linen collar. His appearance was altogether unique.

When Den went to school he took his marsh experiences with him, and his slate more frequently had birds than arithmetical figures on it. The kind, greyheaded old schoolmaster was larger-hearted than is sometimes the case with men in like position. He often winked at the drawings, after turning up the boy's slate for examination. He was a man of liberal creed, having learned from the old black-lettered Bible he always used, a more hopeful and merciful faith in a God of love than that which was professed by the descendants of those stern men who had suffered for their creed in bygone days.

He even gave him a bird which had been shot by one of his own sons for him to copy on his slate one day in school-time; and after Den had drawn it to his satisfaction, he allowed him to go out with his son in the afternoon on the marsh to see more of the fowl.

One day, after the morning school was over, during the dinner-hour, Den went down with his school-fellows

to have some fun on the quay and about the old wharves. Old Bob Shrimp turned up there, and the boys, after playing a mad prank on the old fellow, ran whooping and shouting along. The shipbuilding yards were owned by the leading members of the religious community belonging to the Dissenting place of worship, which Den's mother's relatives. frequented. The sons of the shipbuilder were Sunday - school teachers; they were kind to the lads, and allowed them to roam freely about amongst the work going on in their yards. As to the boats, many of their fathers having vested interests in them, the lads were on and over them in all directions when they were moored to the quay. Many a narrow escape from drowning there was when that wild crew were loose.

Bob Shrimp had just put off from the quay, and Den was running with three others, all abreast, alongside the water, the tide being high, when his foot slipped and down he went into twenty feet of water. The lads were prompt and rapid enough, for one gripped him by the foot as he was sinking head downwards - the water was level with the edge of the quay-and then the others helped to drag him on

to terra firma again, laying themselves flat on the gravel, and in their excitement making the business of rescuing poor Den longer than it need have been. I am sorry to say that the whole crew, Sunday scholars though they were, swore most heartily and fluently over the work. They'd pull him in pieces, and be pulled in pieces themselves, afore they'd leave holt on him," they declared. When he stood on his feet again, he looked a miserably limp and dripping object.

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"Wring him out," shouted one, "afore we cart him up street to the master."

Their confidence in the schoolmaster's kindness was shown by the immediate impulse that prompted the boys to send one of their number to prepare the old man to receive Den in his half-drowned condition.

The kind schoolmaster looked very grave, but, without any words of reproof or questions, he called his daughter and gave the dripping boy into her charge, after assuring himself that beyond a ducking and a chill there was nothing serious the matter. Den was put to bed, a warm drink given to him, and his clothes were set before the kitchen fire to dry.

Then the master went back to the schoolroom and

lectured his pupils very severely on their heedless. harum-scarum ways. The impression made by this was considerably lessened by one of the lads afterwards overhearing him tell his son that their pluck and prompt action was really very gratifying to him.

The evening hymn was sung at the closing of the school with special fervour, and Den, who was present, rather pale, but in dry clothes, was regarded as the hero of the moment.

The kind daughter of the house had bestowed so much care upon his drenched clothes that no trace of the accident was visible, and neither father nor mother heard of Den's immersion.

The next morning the schoolmaster called him to his side at the opening of morning school, and bade him read the lessons for the day, as was the usual custom, out of his cherished black - lettered Bible, standing at his side the while. No other scholar was ever allowed to do this, nor was any other able probably to read from it; but his father's kinsman, -as such Denzil always spoke of the Portreeve,— had taught him the Old English alphabet. It always seemed a delight to the old gentleman to draw out the child's intelligence. Had Philip Magnier and his

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relative been on happier terms together, Den's future would no doubt have been a more assured one, speaking from a worldly point of view. As it was, his visits to the house formed a large factor in his early education.

The schoolmaster's Bible was a masterpiece of printing and binding—a book to last for centuries. Each letter looked as clean and clear as if it had been brass. Although it was in the English language, it had not been printed in England. It was printed on the same tawny parchment-like paper as the few rare and valuable engravings which he possessed that had come from Holland. Heirlooms he said they were; they had been in his family for generations. There were dates and marks on them. that confirmed his statement.

Some of the folks said that the grave-faced little scholar somewhat resembled the kindly old schoolmaster as he grew older. But they might also have said that of some others amongst his boys, all of whom looked up to him with love and reverence. He was alike kind to rich and poor. Good clothes or shabby ones, it made no difference to him what his scholars wore; and they all knew it, and blessed