and out
into the sea. It was a mighty pull even for sturdy arms, but nearer and
nearer they came until they saw the pale, frightened face of their own
little Peter. With redoubled energy, they overtook the little fellow and
held his boat while he scrambled into theirs, announcing, as he lifted
the lunch basket over, "I was bringing your dinner to you."

Thankfully they carried him safe to shore, where together they ate with
relish the rescued dinner.

Early that afternoon Peter's father took him home to relieve the anxiety
he knew the boy's mother must be feeling.

When Tom returned that night with his newly-earned shillings, he passed
half of them over to Peter.

"There, Pete, put them aside for college. Harvard will want such a man as
you will make."

Peter went to bed that night, happy with the new thought that he,
himself, might some day go to college.

LITTLE JANE'S GENTIANS.

"Have you never seen a fringed gentian?" asked little blue-eyed Jane. "If
you will go down that path with me, I'll show you where they grow."

Benjamin was about to follow, when his father reined in his horse at the
gate and called, "Come, Ben, we must start for home!"

"Never mind," whispered little Jane, "I'll bring one to you at the
meeting-house on the Sabbath."

John Cutts lifted his boy to the horse's back, and with the bag of meal
behind the saddle they started homeward over beaten paths through the
woods to the clearing, some two miles from the settlement. This happened
as long ago as 1671, when the fire on the hearth was the only kind used.
Benjamin was glad to get close to it this cold fall night, as he listened
to his father's account of the many wolves shot that week, whose heads,
Benjamin knew, would be hung on the meeting-house door until the captors
received their bounty.

On Sunday morning John Cutts examined his musket closely, for he dared
not start to meeting without it. Indians as well as wolves were feared.
His wife sat on the horse behind him, and Benjamin rode before. Traveling
over the narrow paths, they passed but few people on their way.

Sunday was a day of fear for Benjamin, for outside the church door was
built a large wooden cage which held the stocks, while a pillory was
constructed on top, both of which were to hold in most uncomfortable
positions those who disturbed the meeting.

Inside the church his mother sat on one side, his father on the other.
Benjamin was always left at the back