and they are all well, I know; and Freeman here, too!" Then seizing the dog, he clasped him to his heart, while the brute struggled with many an eager cry to kiss his old master's face.

Ned's impulse from the first was to rush into the parlor; but he was restrained by that strange desire which all have experienced in the immediate anticipation of some great joy,—to hold it from us, as a parent does a child, before we seize it and clasp it to our breast.

The small party, consisting of the captain, his wife, and Freeman, were sitting round the parlor fire; Mrs. Fleming sewing, and the others keeping up rather a dull conversation, as those who felt, though they did not acknowledge, the presence of something at their hearts which hindered their usual freedom and genial hilarity.

"Supper should be ready by this time," suggested the captain, just as the scene between Ned and Babby was taking place in the kitchen. "Babby and Skye seem busy: I shall ring, may I

not? »

"If you please," said Mrs. Fleming; "but depend upon it, Babby will cause no unnecessary delays."

Babby speedily responded to the captain's ring. On entering the room she burst into a fit of laughing. Mrs. Fleming put down her work and looked at her servant as if she was mad.

"What do you mean, woman?" asked the captain with knit brows: "I never saw you behave so before."

་

"Maybe no. Ha! ha! ha!" said Babby; "but there's a queer man wishing to speak wi' ye." At this moment a violent ring. was heard from the door-bell.

"A queer man-wishing to speak with me at this hour," muttered the captain, as if in utter perplexity.

Babby had retired to the lobby, and was ensconced, with her apron in her mouth, in a corner near the kitchen. "You had better open the door yersel'," cried Babby, smothering her laugh

ter.

The captain, more puzzled than ever, went to the door, and opening it was saluted with a gruff voice, saying, "I'm a poor sailor, sir, and knows you're an old salt, and have come to see you, sir."

"See me, sir! What do you want?" replied the captain gruffly, as one whose kindness some impostor hoped to benefit by.

"Wants nothing, sir," said the sailor, stepping near the captain. A half-scream, half-laugh from Babby drew Mrs. Fleming and Freeman to the lobby.

"You want nothing? What brings you to disturb me at this hour of the night? Keep back, sir!"

"Well, sir, seeing as how I sailed with Old Cairney, I thought you would not refuse me a favor," replied the sailor in a hoarse voice.

"Don't dare, sir," said the captain, "to come into my house one step farther, till I know more about you."

"Now, captain, don't be angry; you know as how that great man Nelson expected every man to do his duty: all I want is just to shake Mrs. Fleming by the hand, and then I go; that is, if after that you want me for to go."

"Mrs. Fleming!" exclaimed the captain, with the indignation of a man who feels that the time has come for open war as against a house-breaker. "If you dare — »

But Mrs. Fleming, seeing the rising storm, passed her husband rapidly, and said to the supposed intruder, whom she assumed to be a tipsy sailor, "There is my hand, if that's all you want: go away now as you said, and don't breed any disturbance."

But the sailor threw his arms around his mother, and Babby rushed forward with a light; and then followed muffled cries of "Mother!" "Father!" "Ned!" "My own boy!" "God be praised!" until the lobby was emptied, and the parlor once more alive with as joyous and thankful hearts as ever met in "hamlet or in baron's ha'!"

HER

HIGHLAND SCENERY

ER great delight was in the scenery of that West Highland country. Italy has its gorgeous beauty, and is a magnificent volume of poetry, history, and art, superb within and without, read by the light of golden sunsets. Switzerland is the most perfect combination of beauty and grandeur; from its uplands-with grass more green and closely shaven than an English. park; umbrageous with orchards; musical with rivulets; tinkling with the bells of wandering cattle and flocks of goats; social with picturesque villages gathered round the chapel spires-up to the bare rocks and mighty cataracts of ice; until the eye rests on the

, clear and sharp in the intense blue of
crown the whole marvelous picture with
too has its peculiar glory of fiords
water-snakes among gigantic mount-
val forests. But the scenery of the
nctive character of its own. It is
1ls of birch and oak copse that
e innumerable bights and bays
- although there is a wonder-
'scapes of ocean meeting the
dless ridges, mingling afar
re coloring of its mount-
ys; in the extent of its
p of its rocky corries;
over its dark preci-
the wild traditions
s, and live in the
'ness, most affect-
iod of romance
hich, banished
long in those

n their dun

the.