onsumption, the dame would set off to dispose of them; but she had no
longer the companionship of Nelly, who remained to watch over her poor
father.

When Paul had strength sufficient to speak, which he had not always, he
would give his daughter good advice, and warn her of the dangers to
which she would be exposed in the world.

"Nelly," he said, "do not trust a person with a soft-speaking tongue,
merely because he is soft-speaking; or one with good looks, merely
because he has good looks. Learn his character first--how he spends his
time, how he speaks about other people, and, more than all, how he
speaks about God. Do not trust him because he says pleasant things to
you. There is Eban Cowan, for instance, a good-looking lad, with
pleasant manners; but he comes of a bad stock, and is not brought up to
fear God. It is wrong to speak ill of one's neighbours, so I have not
talked of what I know about his father and his father's companions; but,
Nelly dear, I tell you not to trust him or them till you have good cause
to do so."

Nelly, like a wise girl, never forgot what her father said to her.

After this Paul grew worse. Often, for days together, he was racked
with pain, and could scarcely utter a word. Nelly tended him with the
most loving care. It grieved her tender heart to see him suffer; but
she tried to conceal her sorrow, and he never uttered a word of
complaint.

Michael had now become the main support of the family; for though Paul
had managed to keep out of debt and have a small supply of money in
hand, yet that was gradually diminishing.

"Never fear, Nelly," said Michael, when she told him one day how little
they had left; "we must hope for a good pilchard-fishing, and we can
manage to rub on till then. The nets are in good order, and I can get
the help I spoke of; so that I can take father's place, and we shall
have his share in the company's fishing."

Michael alluded to a custom which prevails among the fishermen on that
coast. A certain number, who possess boats and nets, form a company,
and fish together when the pilchards visit their coast, dividing
afterwards the amount they receive for the fish caught.

"It is a long time to wait till then," observed Nelly.

"But on most days I can catch lobsters and crabs, and every time I have
been out lately the fish come to my lines more readily than they used to
do," answered Michael. "Do not be cast down, Nelly dear, we have a
Friend in hea