preferred
working his way up slowly in mining, to entering upon a new life, in
which, however successful he might be at college, the after course was
not clear to him; and his teacher had answered in a tone of approval of
his choice.

On his way he stopped at the houses of many of his boy friends, and was
shocked at the misery which already prevailed in some of them. Harry
Shepherd's home was no better than the others.

"Why, Harry, I should scarce have known you," he said, as the lad came
to the door when he opened it and called him. "You look bad, surely."

"We're a big family, Jack; and the extra children's allowance was
dropped last week. There's eight of us, and food's scarce. Little
Annie's going fast, I think. The doctor came this morning, and said she
wanted strengthening food. He might as well ha' ordered her a
coach-and-four. Baby died last week, and mother's ailing. You were
right, Jack; what fools we were to strike! I've been miles round looking
for a job, but it's no use; there's fifty asking for every place open."

The tears came into Jack's eyes as he looked at the pinched face of his
friend.

"Why did you not write to me?" he asked, almost angrily. "I told you
where a letter would find me; and here are you all clemming, and me know
nought of it. It's too bad. Now look here, Harry, I must lend you some
money--you know I've got some put by, and you and your father can pay me
when good times come again. Your dad gets his eight shillings from the
union, I suppose?"

"Yes," the lad answered.

"Well, with fifteen shillings a week you could make a shift to get on.
So I'll send you ten shillings a week for a bit; that'll be seven
shillings to add to the eight, and the other three will get meat to make
broth for Annie. The strike can't last much over another month, and that
won't hurt me one way or the other. Here's the first ten shillings; put
it in your pocket, and then come round with me to the butcher and I'll
get a few pounds of meat just to start you all. There, don't cry, and
don't say anything, else I'll lick you."

But when Jack himself entered the schoolmaster's house, and was alone
with Mr. Merton, he threw himself in a chair and burst into tears.

"It is awful, sir, awful. To see those little children, who were so
noisy and bright when I went away, so pale, and thin, and quiet now.
Poor little things! poor little things! As to the men, they are starving
because they don't choose to work, an