th was still
unable to walk. Under these circumstances, he wrote a note to the agent,
Brown, and told him that it would be wrong to leave the school shut up
while the children of the neighborhood remained untaught, and requested
him to seek another teacher.

It cost the youth some self-sacrifice to give up this last chance of
employment; but we already know that Ishmael never hesitated a moment
between duty and self-interest.

September passed. Those who have watched surgical cases in military
hospitals know how long it takes a crushed and broken human body to
recover the use of its members. It was late in October before Ishmael's
right arm was strong enough to support the crutch that was needed to
relieve the pressure upon his right leg when he attempted to walk.

It was about this time that Judge Merlin was heard often to complain of
the great accumulation of correspondence upon his hands.

Ishmael, ever ready to be useful, modestly tendered his services to
assist.

After a little hesitation, the judge thanked the youth and accepted his
offer. And the next day Ishmael was installed in a comfortable leather
chair in the library, with his crutch beside him and a writing table
covered with letters to be read and answered before him. These letters
were all open, and each had a word or a line penciled upon it indicating
the character of the answer that was to be given. Upon some was simply
written the word "No"; upon others, "Yes"; upon others again, "Call on
me when I come to town"; and so forth. All this, of course, Ishmael had
to put into courteous language, using his own judgment after reading the
letters.

Of course it was the least important part of his correspondence that
Judge Merlin put into his young assistant's hands; but, notwithstanding
that, the trust was a very responsible one. Even Ishmael doubted whether
he could discharge such unfamiliar duties with satisfaction to his
employer.

He worked diligently all that day, however, and completed the task that
had been laid out for him before the bell rung for the late dinner. Then
he arose and respectfully called the judge's attention to the finished
work, and bowed and left the room.

With something like curiosity and doubt the judge went up to the table
and opened and read three or four of the letters written for him by his
young amanuensis. And as he read, surprise and pleasure lighted up his
countenance.

"The boy is a born diplomatist! I should no