the broth. At length she finished it, and then gave
Rollo back the bowl, saying, as she did it,--

"Did my husband send you with that bowl of broth to me?"

"No," said Rollo, "I brought it myself."

"And what put it into your head to do that?" added the lady.

"Why, Maria brought some to me when I was sick," replied Rollo, "and it
did me good; and so I thought it would do you good."

The lady looked at him a moment more with an earnest gaze, and then lay
down again, and shut her eyes.

Presently she opened them a moment, and said,--

"Do you know my son Hilbert?"

"I have seen a boy about the ship," said Rollo, "not quite so big as I
am. Is that he?"

"With a blue jacket?" said the lady.

"Yes," said Rollo, "and a bow and arrows."

"That's he," said the lady. "If you will go and find out where he is,
and ask him to come to me, you will do me a great deal of good."

Rollo had seen this boy several times in different places about the
ship; but as he seemed to be rather rude and boisterous in his manners,
and very forward and free withal in his intercourse with the passengers
who chanced to speak to him from time to time, Rollo had not felt much
disposed to form an acquaintance with him. The boy had a bow and arrows,
with which he had often amused himself in shooting about the decks. He
did this with so little consideration, that at last, one of the officers
of the ship told him that he must not shoot any more in those parts of
the ship where the ladies were, but that he must go forward, among the
sailors, if he wished to practise archery. So the boy went forward, and
from that time he spent most of his time on the forward deck among the
sailors, and in the midst of the ropes and the rigging.

Rollo now went in pursuit of him, and after looking for him in many
places, both before and aft, he finally went down into the dining
saloon, and there he found Hilbert seated at the table, eating dinner,
with his father. His bows and arrows were on the seat by his side.

Rollo went up to the place where Hilbert was sitting, and in a timid and
cautious manner informed him that his mother wished to see him.

"My mother!" repeated Hilbert, looking up surprised.

"Yes," replied Rollo; "she asked me to tell you. But I suppose that she
can wait until you have finished your dinner."

"O, no," said Hilbert, "I can't go at all. Go tell her I can't come."

Rollo was greatly astonished at receiving such a message as this f