esult of this remark was that the sailor-boy turned deadly pale,
and stared at his little friend without being able to utter a word.
Mere human nature taught Jacky that he had made a mistake in being so
precipitate: but home education had not taught him to consider the
feelings of others. He felt inclined to comfort his new friend, but
knew not how to do it. At last a happy thought occurred to him, and he
exclaimed eagerly--

"B-but _sh-she's not dead yet_!"

"Does she live in the same cottage?" asked the boy, in a low, husky
voice, not considering that his companion could not know what cottage
she had occupied in former days. Jacky, also ignoring this fact, nodded
his head violently, being past speech with excitement, and pointed in
the direction of the hut.

Without another word, Billy, (more correctly speaking, Willie), at once
took to his heels, and was followed by Jacky as fast as his short legs
could carry him.

Flora Macdonald was administering a glass of hot wine and water to her
patient, when the door was quickly, yet gently, opened, and a sailor-lad
sprang into the room, fell on his knees beside the lowly couch, seized
the old woman's hand, gazed for a few seconds into her withered face,
and then murmuring, "Granny, it's me," laid his head on her shoulder and
burst into tears.

Flora gently drew the boy away.

"Willie, is it possible; can it be you?"

"Is she dyin'?" said Willie, looking up in Flora's face with an
expression of agony.

"I trust not, dear boy; but the doctor says she is very ill, and must be
kept quiet."

"Hoot, awa' wi' the doctor! He's wrang," cried old Moggy, suddenly
raising herself with great energy on one elbow; "don't I see my ain
Willie there, as I've seen him in my dreams mony and mony a night?"
(Flora grasped Willie's arm to prevent his running towards her, and
pointed to Jacky, who had at that moment entered the room, and was at
once recognised by Moggy.) "Ay, little did I think when I said yestreen,
`Thy wull be done,' that He wad send my ain laddie back again!"

She folded Jacky, who had gone to the bedside, in her arms, and was with
difficulty prevailed on to let him go. It was quite evident that her
mind was wandering.

The effect of this little episode on Willie was powerful and twofold. A
pang of jealousy at first shot through his heart like a flash of
lightning; but when he perceived that the loving embrace was meant for
his old self he broke down, and the