lips, when Marcus stepped quickly up, and laying his hand on his arm, exclaimed

"No, father, you must not drink that now. You cannot ferry the boat steadily if you do, and the wind is so strong."

What right have you to pre

"Let me alone, boy. vent me? Let me alone, I say."

you are doing.

"Please, father, it is wrong. You do not know what You just now said she was cursed—you know you did and yet you are going-Nay, father, you shall not drink that before you start."

The resolute boy snatched the glass from his father's hand, and dashed the contents in the fire. A sudden illuminating blaze flashed through the room, as suddenly producing a pale-blue flame, curling slenderly upward. Then darting through the door, he waved his lantern in the air, and gave the peculiar halloo of the boatman to indicate to the waiting traveller that the ferryman was about to cross the river. Warland, who would have wrestled with a man who endeavoured by mild means to deprive him of the burning beverage by which he sought to stimulate his dulled and exhausted spirits, yielded to the bold will of a boy of ten, without daring to resist, and followed him, muttering, not loudly, but deeply, out of the cabin. Marcus hoisted the lantern on a slight post that was elevated at the end of the boat, but so as not to interfere with the entrance of carriages, and seizing one pole, gave the other without speaking into his father's hand. The river had a strong, rapid current, so that they were obliged to go up the stream some distance before they were able to cross it. The lantern threw a

red wake on the dark water, over which the boat glided heavily and sullenly, though now Warland emulated the vigorous strokes of the pole which was swayed by the youthful arm of his son. He did not speak, for he was angry and ashamed, yet with his anger and shame an exulting pride in his son was mingled. He was proud of the boy, who dared to control his brutal appetite, and save him momentarily from a yet deeper degradation. As he looked upon his slight figure thrown back, standing out in the glare of the lantern, while he pressed the pole with all his strength against the rushing water, and thought what he might have made of him, and what his probable destiny now was, he could not suppress a groan of remorse.

"But never

"You are tired, father," said Marcus. mind," he added, in an encouraging tone, we shall soon be over, and we shall not have to tug so hard coming back."

One would have supposed that he was the elder and stronger of the two, to hear his inspiring tone.

"This is a sorry life we lead," said the father, speaking for the first time since the rebellious act of Marcus. 66 Obliged to be called out like a dog, in the darkest night and the roughest winds, for anybody and everybody. I do not mind it in the daytime; but when the heavens scowl as black as they do now, and the water looks like ink beneath us, I feel as if I were on the gloomy Styx, on my way to the infernal regions."

"I like it better in the night, father. It is so much more exciting. I do not care how dark it is; we can turn the boat into a comet, and send out a long, red

As for

streamer, that looks grandly enough behind us. the wind, the stronger the better. I love to hear the river roar after us. It sounds like music to me. Hoorah ! father, here we are, and here is a carriage waiting for us, sure enough."

The rough, grinding sound of the boat upon the gravelly bank, and a sudden jerk which almost threw Warland from his feet, but which Marcus stood without a vibration, gave notice to the occupants of the carriage that the ferry-boat was ready for them to cross. The horses came slowly, and tightly reined, down the bank, and stepped with thundering hoofs on the wet planks of the boat, which pushed off the moment the wheels rolled from the sand. A gentleman and lady were in the carriage, and the lady leaned on the shoulder of the gentleman, as if feebled and weary. She was wrapped up daintily in rich shawls, and blankets were placed in the bottom of the carriage to cover her feet. There was a young black girl too on the front seat, but her outline was scarcely distinguishable amid the dark shadows of night. When the boat was about halfway over the river, the horses began to be restless and step backward and forward, much to the alarm of the lady. Lifting her languid head from her husband's shoulder, she insisted upon getting out of the carriage.

“There is no danger, Isabel," said her husband. "Keep quiet, and do not expose yourself to taking cold, by this needless alarm." But even while he was speaking the horses went back still farther, though the driver stood at their head, with a controlling arm. Forgetting her fatigue and debility, the lady jumped out, while her hus

band, finding it in vain to reason with her, followed, and taking one of the blankets, threw it on the bottom of the boat for her to stand on, and gathered her shawls round her, which the strong winds were filling like the sails of a ship.

"Look, husband," she whispered, "look at that boywhat a beautiful face and figure he has!" Marcus was standing, with his right hand grasping the long pole, by which he was propelling the boat, while with his left he pushed back the locks that were blowing over his temples. The blaze of the lantern fell full upon him, and lighted him up with a pale glory, while the thick shadows settled behind him, in a kind of rich Rembrandt background. Though he had been recklessly exposed to sun and wind, regardless of their influence, his cheek and brow were as fair as a girl's; and his hair too, long and curling, floated back from his forehead, with a wild grace and glossiness, as if it were born to sport with the river-breeze that so often wantoned with its profusion. His eyes were of a clear deep blue, with very dark lashes, and his finely-formed eyebrows were also of a much darker hue than his hair. His mouth had such a slightly scornful expression as curls the parted lip of the beautiful Apollo Belvidere. He certainly was a very remarkable-looking boy for a ferryman's son, and the lady forgot her alarm while gazing upon him, and the gentleman his fears for the lady. He was struck with the mind, the spirit that breathed from that boyish face-she with the striking beauty of its lineaments-both with the contrast he presented to the rude occupation in which he was engaged. The boy caught their earnest gaze, and turning with a quick deep

blush, he again bent over the pole, which began to dip in a deeper, stronger current. When they reached the

opposite bank, the lady and gentleman held a low conversation, and then the gentleman turning courteously to Warland, asked him if he knew of any house of entertainment near, where they could pass the night, as Mrs Bellamy was very much fatigued, and unwilling to travel farther in the darkness.

"There is no house of entertainment at all," answered Warland, "within several miles of here, and no house within a mile. The roads are very bad, and there is a very steep hill to go up before you reach it.”

"What shall I do?" exclaimed the lady, looking anxiously at the log cabin before them; "I cannot, I dare not travel farther to-night. Cannot this good man give us a bed?"

"I am very sorry, madam," replied Warland, with much more politeness of manner than they expected from a ferryman, "I cannot offer you any suitable accommodation. My cabin is too rough and ill-furnished to ask you to sit down in, much less to sleep in."

"I do not care for accommodation," she cried, earnestly. "No matter how rough the bed, how coarse the fare, I will not complain; but I cannot ride with these wild horses any farther this dark night."

"The horses are not wild, Isabel," said her husband, with a smile. They are very safe and manageable; but I know you are a coward, and cannot help it. If the ferryman is willing to take us in for the night, I shall certainly be under obligations to him, for your sake."

"If I had a bed," stammered Warland, ashamed and