expected every moment to see him fall.

When his father came on deck, and saw his son's danger, he was very sad, and did not know how he could save him. All of a sudden he called for a gun, which was handed to him. Then he cried out to Robert in a loud voice: Jump into the sea, or I'll fire at you! His father knew that if he fell on the deck he would be killed, but if he jumped into the sea, there was a chance of his being saved. So he called out again: Jump, Robert! Jump into the sea! It is your only chance for life!' Robert hesitated, and almost fell from the mast, but he stood up straight once more, and sprang into the air.

He hit the water with his feet first, and sank down very deep. At last his head rose above the waterhe was alive! Some of the sailors jumped into the sea, and brought him on to the deck. His father was very glad to see his son alive, and the crew gave three loud cheers.

The sailor bids his friends good-bye,
And goes on board his ship;
He sails away, by night and day,
Upon his ocean trip.

In far-off countries, hot or cold,
The sailor-boy may land,
And hear the people speaking words
He does not understand.

And many wondrous sights he sees,
Wherever he may roam;

But he will not forget to think
Upon his own dear home.

For there his little sisters play
Among the daisies white;

And there his parents work by day,
And pray for him at night.

A pretty little stream ran through a meadow, where daisies and buttercups and fresh green grass grew in the bright summer weather. This clear, cool brook was the home of Tommy Trout, Jacky Trout, and Dicky Trout. Happy little fishes they were, for a good fairy watched over them, and they had everything that a trout could desire.

Merrily they darted about among the reeds, and chased each other round and round the stones. In the warm sunny days, you might have seen them leaping far out of the water to catch the lazy flies that went buzzing along the surface. Sometimes they would lie quite still for a minute, and listen to the lowing of the cows and the bleating of the sheep as they grazed

over the pleasant meadow. Then off again, darting to and fro, and sporting about through the clear rippling

stream.

But as time went on, and these trouts grew older and bigger, two of them, Tommy and Jacky, became sad and unhappy. All their merry play was gone, and now, for hours together, they would lie motionless under the bank.

The good fairy was very sorry to see this change in her little friends, and one day called them before her.

Why are you so sad?' she asked. Have I not given you all that a trout can wish for? Tell me what I can do to bring back your cheerful looks, and make you again happy and contented? You, Tommy, will speak first, as you are the eldest. Tell me, then, what I can do to please you.'

Now, Tommy had grown up to be a very proud little trout, and had become unhappy for no other reason than that other trouts were as good as himself. He wished to be above them

all. So he answered: 'Give me wings, good fairy. Make me like yon lark that soars away into the clear blue sky.'

No sooner had he spoken than his tiny fins grew into strong broad wings, and at once he rose out of the water, and flew up into the air. Away he went, over the trees and the hills, and up among the thin white clouds, very happy and merry.

Now,' he said, in his pride, 'I am far above those poor creatures who are swimming about in their little shallow brook. That may be good enough for them, but this is the life for me.'

And Tommy Trout flew on and on, until he had gone many miles from his old home.

At last he felt hungry and weary, and wished to go back for a while to the pleasant stream where he had left Jacky and Dicky.

'I shall tell them,' he said, 'of the wonderful things I have seen, and then they must confess that I am a greater trout than they.'