y feast, the little pair
flew in and out, feeding their young as quietly as if they were utterly
alone.

Much might be said of the fondness shown by some unbidden guests for our
food, of the trickery of the mouse, or of the cricket's habit of
tumbling into the milk, while taking unlawful sips. But a plea can be
found even for the most despised of creatures. Cheese is a dainty to the
pilfering mouse, but the eggs of the cockroach are a still daintier
morsel. The cricket is a scavenger, and besides cheering us by his
sprightly song, rids the floor of tiny atoms of insanitary dust, and the
house-spider preys on the clothes-moth. One lesson at least is taught by
many a household insect, that of strict cleanliness.

Besides our regular housemates, many strange creatures will live with us
in time of trouble, forgetful of their fear. The following is a true and
delightful instance of this. On one of the Highland hills an old woman
lived quite alone. After a severe snow-storm, some shepherds, fearing
for her safety, went to the rescue and found her hut snowed up. They
were unable to trace it till a curl of smoke was seen rising out of a
drift. The warmth had melted a small hollow just above the hole in her
roof which served as a chimney. Down this they called, 'Jenny, are you
living?' For answer a fox darted out of the hole and ran away. Again
they called. 'Yes,' answered the old woman. 'Heaven has been very good
to me. I have been fed by the beasts of the wood.' 'What do you mean?'
asked the men. She said, 'A wild fox came down the chimney to take
shelter. I spoke kindly to it, and it came and sat by the fire, and
every day he went out and brought me in a hare or a rabbit.'

This story makes one feel how easily the fear and dread of us, which so
many creatures are forced to feel, might be changed into trust and love,
so that we might fulfil the text, 'The beast of the field shall be at
peace with thee.'

EDITH CARRINGTON.

AFLOAT ON THE DOGGER BANK.

A Story of Adventure on the North Sea and in China.

(_Continued from page 387._)

CHAPTER XXIII.

The Boxers had evidently heard that Charlie and the two Chinamen had
ventured to leave the shelter of the mission enclosure, and it was plain
that they had hoped to surprise them. And had they been a minute
earlier, they would undoubtedly have succeeded in doing so. In fact, the
foremost man was so close upon them that he seized the ladder just as it
was being rai