THE HAVEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14132, 6 August 1909, Page 3

THE HAVEN.

fCCLTSHBD BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.]

BY EDEN PHILLBOTTS, ■,:-. :' Joflior of "Sons of the, Morning/* " Ckib ' : drsii of the Mist." "The Whirlwind," "The Secret Woman." " The Mother," etc., etc.. : L'lf ' : . [COPYEIGHTJ CHAPTER XXXlV,—(Continued.)': i>|w jack and Lydia was now standffe, off Plymouth on. her way "round f'feid." The North Channel happened to -4© fishing well again alter two barren, years, 'isd John Major was among the first' Of Hexham men to avail llim,se ' M of the news. "'V 1 moment later, before Tom could -meh the forecastle ladder, the mystery 'of the unknown passenger wae solved. A • ''snail, filthy-faced boy, with yellow curly fyiir and blue eyes, climbed on deck, rose to his feet, and came aloft. He panted jounce, and, before he spoke, cast his '.ev« ashore that he might learn, how much . igreen water rolled between him, and the hated land- : . ■ -Johnny!" cried Mr. Major, ■."Johnny ' Brokonfiheer ' What- does this mean?" .'" "Lord! the sinful imp A stowaway , •"on-his own gran'father's boat! Whoever .'"heard the like?" cried William Gilberd, llfroui the tiller. 1 rl Johnny preserved a courageous manner, and stated the situation, from his stand- . point. " - • "I made it up to come here a month ago, when my father said as old Abe Guzzwell was to' get hold on me. I didn't i tell nobody ; and last night, an hour afore , you was ' going to sail, I rowed out with 111'. Coombes—him as hates father. And ,*fort he went, off in the Brown Mouse, 'he put me aboard the Jack V Lyddy, in' *teld me to lie doggo for'ard till usv..is well away. And I shouldn't, have ( ,nn-» out. tor a good bit yet-, but I 'was groaning wi' hunger, and Frank heard ' me. = An" God's my judge I won't go for a shoemaker ' So" now then!" Tom Hoaeywill was eating. He broke . a pastv in two and gave Johnny the larger poi'ion. , « Three cheers for you, Joan '. I m with tou, and I'd have done the same," he |Mte : ■">■■'' , • , '■■ \. ~.' , 1 The!] V.v. Major spoke, and Ins words ■ jt struck chill upon his grandson's ear. Ii " Honour your father that your days may be bug in the land, John' BrokenI ,shi». Don't you think that -'tis, any joy to me to see you here; and your father raid, and your mother breaking her heart for fear. Yon'ra a bad, bad boy." - Then he turned to Gilbeid. ' "Us'3l inn into Plymouth this instant '''moment," he said. ; ~■.■• ■ ■ Tine sullen Johnny war tent forward while William and the child's grandfather held earnest speech. Then the trawler, ' with a. tail wind, foamed under the Mew- ' iione and soon cast anchor off the Barbican. Bat the lime, though short, had sufficed to modify Mr. Major's plans. A new hope suddenly dawned in his sanguine heart. .;'-:-;::.'■':'■.. ',',; : --:i-:'.->) : ::'-:-:. ; c,.'- ■:'■>'■.•■ :, ; ■;'.'.;■,-■.■:-■ I he skipper went ashore- presently, and tent a telegram to his daughter's husband. ;.;- ; He explained that Johnny had hidden by night in the Jack and Lydia. He . tiered to bring him home, and gave {Samuel an hour 10 decide whether Johnny |ililki;returh oj , .'':set;sail again.;'-; *;. ■'■ : --' /: ,.:■;.'■ lllltl--happened:that"oh the morning of, : his' boy'si disappearance., Samuel had a lengthy conversation with Mr. Guavzwell -while; he vaittd to -hear new* «I tbe ranawjty. Brokenshire- was not- anxious.. He knew Johnny's rare power of self-preservation, and he doubted not- that- the boy had taken law into 1 his own hands and would present-' ly be caught and sent home- But that he ' was at sea he did not guess until the ehoe-lihjake^;hi;ffiiseli--''j3rp^ '■ Hps gone \rlth 'iiie boats," (-aid Mr. j. 1--*f I*3 'iayithe Is%.} ray hert uppers to a brad that he's afloat. A(J, If you're a wise man, you'll let him " f top ihere. I called him in the shop a week a gone, and he told me, quite civil, ihat he'd never be any , use ■.to me - or any shore-going tradesman. And he meant it ail. ' Let him try. Call home your own gro-si youth.' What pair of horses could I t-vtf,- have dragged you out of your father's .btKit when you was big enough to go in | BlS©*S|s-^i--i'^ :^;/ " --"■■' ""''.'■■'■ .-'■'■■:■'-?-'-.-.. ■■; ■"■-^ ■■"-.■. ■;■1 - " He's useless yet--only ten years old." *]''?.V" Let his grandfather judge of that." ,_ They are still arguing when Lydia- has.'toned'from home with John Major's tele- . pram; and, in less than an hour later, " Johnny's grandfather received a. reply. • '"Let him stop and be . 5.8. - ' / /With beating heart and eagerness almost tremulous "Mr. Major took his grandson to a rfop shop and made a ha?ty choice ||||>|l|ajSi6utiS..';; •;■■■-■:':/v ;; '. -"•■'■■: ■■.'>'"'■■ - darkness came the Eddystone was ■ flashing its far-flung beam upon Johnny's ' eyes:. He felt a very great and very suecwsfu] man; but d-nring the night, in a F'hort, choppy sea, ihe runaway fell ex- ■ needing!y sick—a circumstance that cast feome gloom upon hie- triumph. CHAPTEU XXXV. . The adventures of Johnny Brokenohire '*;' in the North Channelthe things that he .-aw and the things that he learned — '.-"Tap duly to his mother's ca'-s when, after :i fairly successful month at eea, the ' tl ',Jack and Lydia returned to her port. But Johnny's father took a strong line, * i and to his wife's sorrow and Mr. Major's . satisfaction refused to have anything \o &a with his eldest con. Samuel did not ' bargain without his host, and a- measure of his anger was doubtless affected; but ' I'. «n<wered the purpose; John ]\&jor sol- ! emnly undertook the, career of Johnny, 'ancl received liim into his houw from that |p;|K^;; : forward. The boy was still too young '; to go to sea, and hie grandfather decreed ||||i'iit two .lull years- must : elapse'■"before 1 l||;|is;::feoaM take his place in the Jack and Lydia. -~, Therefore Johnny, much") to- his §fa?e|ret 4 was sent 'back to school and kept .',"-! strictly to his books. cvgrthmhuk» y " '' In* two years,' said Samuel, "he may \ have gathered enough sense to refuse, fish- ' hig when the time comes." But John Major -feared no such thing. * Johnny was in--1 oculated with a month on /deep wa/ter; ", he would never turn back nO(w. s ' He lived with the -Majors, and was v 'brought up on his grandfather's pattern. Him the boy loved well, trusted, and ex- - 'jilted into a great hero. The fteady strain of Mr. Major's fixed opinions *md masterful - h lief in Providence bore even upon <i heart so young. Samuel poubted when '".jkfe wife gave details of Johr/ny's goodness 'tat all'responsibility ha| been shifted ■~ "from, his shoulders, and life felt woll conirat to let his hoy develop /under conditions ■', r'-'fo admirable /:.'' ' . Mrs. Michelmore was fond of Johnny, '] jhut while not secretly averse from his * )'P6imanent return, yet openly declared, that x this wflfe an added anxiety and another 'MO6S. ■■■■■■. - ; ; „ M "The straw will come which will break .'% camel's back," she assured her brother; '~ J'ml this, may very i likely be the one. 1' J sink under this boisterous young j .creatine you needn't mind. I shall do - 1 % duty to him and t6 vou as long-as I'm ! y-ared. lint how vou can think you are I'.nfin? yours by taking him from hie lawful |i ' P«aidian and beginning the 'business of 'p>"'i !g a father over fygain I suppose you j i i tote.,- : l don't pretend to know. He shall If/y'SW a pious -and a ' Christian great-aunt K-^9^ * c > of course. And if I can steady his j .' X"|™diopef ul, cocksure character it, shall .; - !-"> done." |\i|^) t "'Tis better he should cheer you uj j .■'jtoyun -should cast him down," answerI ijrliher brother. '"lis a great responsii l - •!"% to have a young thing on youi ' -'t'-'p*; but to metis also a great joy anc fit 'i'ght. You can't' grow old while you've , \-!'i a hit ot vouth like him in +he houee \m ■ - n't be- "for ever looking on the dart ;,1^ r vviilo a bit of live hope harbours - ."I;■:■;■''■■•'■ ■: , :i>;;.■'v.'. :: -' i ;--''''"' , ?-- : {''.'."■■ ' ii. \i' , & )[{ but if vou don't 100 l ''"fr.the sh-ulow6 f they'll "soon mar tin &!iui <-»' declared Mrs. Michelmore . ; ~ nt w-i no fault:- in him, and 'Ui ' l ?. v . .l 1 ' J i ' kk'ss jxtsk to point em out. . ' ' mii'»„ of , youth—thn faults yw > l ' '-ids Lie Ingnfu: virtues. I w^»

to have faults of a- sort, in a decent boy. -I d rather ho fought than not, and I'd rather he played the truant now and again than not. And other things, too small, to cull faults in my opinion. But he's honest and straight, and he's generous, and shares with his school-mates: and, though dull at hie books, he's amazing rich in brain power for practical purposes, and ho can argue in a way that much amazes l»e." "You didn't ought to let him argue. Who ever heard of a you ng boy 'arguing?" v.'" 1 ' . "•"' '' " " You'll find one. in the New Testament," answered Major. "Given the intellects, 'tis our, duly to lift 'em up.and enlarge 'em. And that's what 1 .do with Johnny, He's laming something wonderful in all its branches. I want to bring out. the Major in him and baffle the Bro"ken'shire, and that's what I'm doing: because the Major-blood is sound, but there's a streak in the. Brokenshire blood that we all know must be kept under if he's to be a • successful man in the eyes of his Maker."

" Brokenshire's successful enough/' she answered. " He've crawled up the sleeve of that weak-willed tanner, and without a doubt the barking yard will go to him when Titus passes away,"" "Why not? He's '■ Peach's first, heir. For my part I sha'n't be sorry to see Samuel come ashore for good and all. He does less and less afloat, and once he gives 'it up the temptation to come by money "dishonestly may leave him. He's not drinking, and lie's going straight at present." Mrs. Michelmore sniffed.

"Is he'/ I think he's only going straight in, one direction, because it .makes it all easier for him to go crooked in another,"' ] she said. "What he's after just'now be- j longs to the shore, not. the sea. I don't keep'my ears open..for bad news; but all the sate© I'm not deaf. One can't help hearing the rumours, and one can't help seeing the trouble where 'tis plain for any understanding creature to —on your daughter's face." Thus the' cares of Lydia first came, to Mr. Major's ear after his grandson had, for six months.,' been living with him. But more Mrs. Michelmore refused to say. She left her brother concerned and suspicious ; yet. when John saw Lydia, asked her to put her trust and confidence in him, and told her frankly that her aunt .believed her unhappy, she.-declared that it was not so, : and assured her father that she had nothing to confide, ''Men are men, not angels," she said. "I haven't been well educated for nothing, and I'm not going to take narrow views*. though it may be very surprising to see a wife and a mother take broad ones. Sam's a good husband, and I have his money; and the children are being brought up as well as we can afford. Tell Aunt. Emma not to listen so much to silly gossip; and if you want to know what a. good man thinks of. Samuel, ask Uncle Titus. We all live together, and if each one of us have a little trouble here and there—well, as.you say so often, this is earth, not '; heaven; 1 - and if earth was heaven none would want to set their hopes any higher." (To be continued daily).