night and hadn't picked those fellows up, I might have
saved your young man from going to sea in the frigate. I be main sorry,
you may depend on't; but I'll do all the captain tells me, that I will."

Jessie sighed. "The men might have lost their lives had you not picked
them up, though it was, indeed, careless of you to forget your
commission," she said. "But what I have to forgive I heartily do
forgive, and I hope that you will obey Captain Mudge, and follow his
advice."

"That I will, miss, and thank you, too, for speaking so kindly to me,"
answered Peter warmly. "I hope I may have a chance of showing that I am
grateful, some day, though it isn't likely, I'll allow."

The _Amity_ was at length ready for sea. She was bound out to Riga for
staves, a somewhat dangerous voyage in the autumn. Captain Mudge came
to wish the widow and her granddaughter farewell. "I've got a fresh
mate," he said, "a decent lad; but he isn't like Ralph, and I doubt if
he's much of a navigator."

"Good-bye, Jessie, good-bye; heaven bless and protect you; keep a good
heart, my girl, you'll see Ralph back some day," were his last words, as
he wrung her hand at the porch and hurried down the road.

When he had gone, Jessie felt that she had lost the truest friend she
possessed in the world next to her granny, and she could not help
fearing that the days of her only relative were numbered. Every week
Jessie saw a marked change in her. She could no longer get up and
downstairs without the greatest difficulty, her eyesight grew worse, and
her trembling fingers refused to hold a needle, while she could scarcely
convey her food to her mouth. In one respect she had not changed: her
mind remained clear and her trust in God as firm as ever. She knew that
she was dying, though she was loth to say so to her grandchild, who
would thus be left alone in the world. "God will look after the dear
one," she said often to herself; "He is ever the father of the
fatherless, and will not forsake her." She longed, however, for the
return of Captain Mudge, but though it was the time for him to be back,
no news had come from him. A letter at last arrived from Ralph, written
from the West Indies, which gave her an account of his prospects of
promotion, and cheered her up. He was well and as contented as could
be, and she was thankful for that; still it compelled her to abandon all
hopes of his speedy return. When his next letter arrived, giving an
ac