imself--that she should be told what they thought of doing. "She is a
sailor's lass, and it's only fair to her," he said, as he left his wife
to break the news to Tiny.

She was overwhelmed at the thought of being separated from those who had
been so kind to her, and whom she had learned to love so tenderly, but
with a mighty effort she choked back her tears, for she saw how grieved
Mrs. Coomber was; though she could not help exclaiming: "Oh! if God
would only let me stay with you, and daddy, and Dick!"

Her last words to Dick before she started were in a whispered
conference, in which she told him to pray to God every day to let her
come back soon. "I will, I will!" said Dick through his tears; "I'll say
what you told me last night--I'll say it every day." And then Coomber
and Tiny set out on their dreary walk to Fellness, reaching it about the
middle of the afternoon.

Bob and Tom had let their old friends know that their father had given
up the whisky, and now he, foolish man, felt half afraid and half
ashamed to meet them; but he was obliged to go, for he wanted Peters to
go with him, and tell the workhouse people about the rescue of the
little girl, for fear they should refuse to take her in unless his story
was confirmed.

Coomber explained this to his friend in a rather roundabout fashion, for
he had not found Peters on the shore, as he had expected, and where he
could have stated his errand in a few words. He had found instead that
all the village was astir with the news of a tea-meeting, that was to
take place that afternoon in the chapel, and that Peters, who was
"something of a Methody," as Coomber expressed it, had gone to help in
the preparations.

He was astonished to see Coomber when he presented himself, and still
more to hear the errand he had come upon. He scratched his head, and
looked pityingly at the little girl, who held fast to Coomber's hand.
"Well now, mate, I'm in a fix," he said, slowly, and pointing round the
room; "I've got all these forms to move, and to fix up the tables for
'em by four o'clock; but if you'll stay and lend a hand, why, you and
the little 'un 'll be welcome to stay to tea, I know; it's free to all
the village to-day," he added, "and the more that come, the better we
shall like it."

Coomber looked at Tiny, and saw how wistfully her eyes rested on a pile
of cakes that stood near; and that look decided him. "Would you like to
have some of it?" he said, with a faint smi