s fish. One day, however, when walking
along the streets of the town, he met with an accident. A horse,
dragging a cart, took fright and was dashing along the road, near the
sea, towards a group of little children whose nursemaids were standing
chatting to each other, not thinking much about their young charges.
The women, startled at hearing the horse coming, were so frightened that
they knew not what to do. They snatched up one child after the other,
running here and there, and leaving several of the little creatures,
unconscious of their danger, in the very way of the maddened animal.
Ben saw the peril in which the children were placed, and, throwing down
his basket of fish, he sprang forward and caught the reins, which were
hanging over the shafts. He had not strength to stop the horse, though
he turned it aside, while he still hung on to the reins; he was at the
same time dragged down, and the wheel passed over his side and one of
his legs. The horse, thus turned from his course, dashed against some
railings, and was stopped. The children were saved.

A gentleman looking out of a window saw the accident, and the gallant
way in which little Ben had behaved. He rushed out of the house, took
him in, placed him on a sofa, and sent for a surgeon. His leg was not
broken, but some of his ribs were. The gentleman said that Ben should
remain at his house till he was cured. He also at once sent off to Mrs
Hadden to inform her of the accident, and to assure her that her son was
well taken care of. Immediately she received the sad news, she set off
to see Ben. She could not bear the thought of letting him remain with
strangers, however kind they might prove.

It was almost midnight when she arrived. Ben's friend received her
kindly, and her heart was comforted when she found that her son was
going on so well. The gentleman told her that he was Lieutenant
Charlton, of the navy, and again assured her that he would take good
care of the boy. Satisfied that Ben's new friend would keep his word,
she returned home the next day.

In less than six weeks Ben was almost himself again. Lieutenant
Charlton nursed the poor boy as if he had been his own son, and showed
how much pleased he was with him. Ben spoke frankly to him, told him of
his past life, hopes, and wishes.

"Well, my boy, I will take you to sea with me when next I go, and that
will be, I hope, before long," said the lieutenant to him one day.

"I shoul