ly with haggard eyes the foaming ocean. At
length night returned. Neighbours looked in, but they could give her no
comfort. The boat might have run into port, but it was not likely.
Sadly that second night passed away. The morning brought no gleam of
hope. Mrs Hadden's lot has been that of many fishermen's and sailors'
wives.

CHAPTER FOUR.

A SORROWFUL HOME AND A NEW FRIEND.

As day after day passed away, Mrs Hadden ceased to hope. Neither John
Hadden nor any of his companions were ever again heard of. There could
be no doubt that they had been lost in their gallant attempt to carry
succour to their fellow-creatures on the wreck. Mrs Hadden was a widow
and little Ben was fatherless.

"Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth," repeated the bereaved woman over
and over to herself. "Oh, may He in His mercy give me strength to bear
the lot He has thought fit in His wisdom to prepare for me, and make it
profitable to my soul."

She had many trials to bear. Her husband and sons, those able to
support her, were gone; and some time passed before she could gather
strength to arouse herself to consider what she could do for the
sustenance of little Ben and herself. He was willing and eager to work,
though he could not hope to gain much as yet. He soon had also another
besides his mother and himself to work for. One of his sisters at
service fell ill, and had to come home and be nursed; and, poor girl, it
made her feel worse to know that she was thus trespassing on her
mother's scanty means; though little Ben did his best to cheer her up,
telling her that it was just a double pleasure to have two to work for
besides himself, instead of only one.

He did his best certainly, though that was but little. His mother
entreated him not to go out in the fishing-boats, for she dreaded (and
that was but natural) that the same fate which had befallen his father
and brothers might overtake him. He, however, bought, on credit, fish
caught by others, and all the fishermen were ready to trust him. He
carried them for sale to the houses of the neighbouring gentry and
farmers. Sometimes, with his basket at his back, he got a lift in a
cart to the nearest town, where, in the summer season, he was able to
obtain a better price than he usually asked of his regular country
customers. People who had once dealt with him were always ready to deal
again. They found that they could without fail trust him. He could
always tell th