r. There was ever a chance that they could not travel.
Such things have been heard of as coaches being snowed up, and even
railways blocked with the innocent-looking snow. But when the
travellers have to cross the sea in places where it is at no time very
smooth, the risk of such a misfortune is always much greater. It was
often utterly impossible for boats to reach the Farne Islands from the
mainland; and no one could say, until the time came, that the Darlings
would not be kept from home by stress of weather. It may be imagined,
therefore, with what anxiety the sea was watched, and how eager they
were to know which way the wind was, and what might be expected of the
weather. And when, at last, the boat was seen bringing the dear ones
to their home among the rocks, very deep were the thanksgivings that
went up to God who had given them journeying mercies.

One Christmas they all met together, and were unusually happy.

"A week's holiday!" said one. "It will be like living at home again to
be together so long."

"And to think that you are all safely here," said the mother.

"And not one of us has died during the year," added the father.

"Surely," said Grace, "we ought to be happy, if any family should, with
so much to make us so."

"And we shall be," said Mary Ann; "at least I am not afraid of it
myself."

There was a general smile at Mary Ann's expense. She had come home
with most important news--she was going to be married, and she had
already whispered to her sisters that she had heaps of things to tell
about "him." It has been said that a woman has but one him (hymn), and
that she is never tired of singing it! It seemed so indeed in Mary
Ann's case, for she had scarcely reached home when she took her sisters
Thomasin and Grace aside, and began to descant most eloquently upon the
manliness and goodness, cleverness and handsomeness of her lover, whom
she boldly declared to be "the best and most kind-hearted man in the
world." "And I will tell you all about him," she added, "though indeed
it will take the whole week to tell."

Her sisters were good-humoured and interested; and it was therefore
evident that there would be no lack of conversation during those
holidays.

If there had been, Elizabeth, the youngest, could have supplied it, for
she had just been apprenticed; and youth always imagines its own
affairs to be of most absorbing interest. Elizabeth was learning the
millinery business, and th