slave for you, wage or no wage--
ay, I'll die for you, if need be--only do, do give up this cursed,
ruinous, body and soul-destroying drink."

"Jacob, I will--I will!" cried his master, deeply touched. "Every word
you say is true. I'm a miserable, worthless wretch. I don't deserve
the love and devotion of a noble lad like you."

"Nay, mayster--don't say so," cried Jacob; "but oh, if you'd only sign
the pledge, and be an out-and-out gradely teetottaller, it'd be the
happiest day of my life."

"Well, Jacob, I'll see about the signing. I daresay I shall have to do
it. But you may depend upon me. I'll turn over a new leaf. There--if
it'll be any pleasure to you--you may take all that's left in my
cupboard, and smash away at the bottles, as good Mr Oliphant did."

Jacob needed no second permission. Ale, wine, and spirit-bottles were
brought out--though but few were left that had not been emptied.
However, empty or full, they fell in a few moments before the energetic
blows of the delighted Jacob Poole.

"You'll never repent it," he said to his master.

But, alas! he did not know poor Frank, who did repent it--and bitterly,
too. The sudden generosity which dictated the sacrifice was but a
momentary flash. Frank would have given a great deal could he have
recalled the act. But what was to be done? He could not, for very
shame, lay in a fresh stock at present; and, equally, he could not
resolve to cross his miserable appetite. So he devised a plan by which
he could still indulge in the drink, and yet keep Jacob Poole completely
in the dark; for, alas! it was becoming less and less painful to him to
breathe in an atmosphere of deception. There was a small cottage not
far from Frank's dwelling. It had belonged to a labouring man, who had
bought a small piece of ground with his hard earnings, had fenced it
round, and built the cottage on it. This man, when "the diggins" broke
out in Melbourne, sold his little property for a third of its value to a
worthless fellow, whose one great passion was a love for the drink.
Through this man Frank was able to obtain a constant supply of the
pernicious stimulant. He would call at the house in the evening, and
bring home in his pockets a flask or two of spirits, which he could
easily keep out of the sight of Jacob and his housekeeper. But though
he could conceal the drink, he could not conceal its effects. Again and
again he became intoxicated--at first slightly so, a