FOR THE CHILDREN.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2657, 12 November 1909, Page 4 (Supplement)

FOR THE CHILDREN.

THE LITTLE OUTCAST.

,(By M. E. Hevrarcl.)

The boat rose and fell lazily in the gentle swell of the waves and the boys lay at full length on the strip of sandy beach like cats basking in the sunshine. Along the shore presently came a little girl, .poorly but neatly dressed. As she passed the boys she bobbed a.cjuamt little curtsey and wished them a' pleasant “good afternoon." The elder boy raised his hat in answer, but the younger one stared out to set and ignored the greeting altogether; the little girl colored and her 'eyes filled with tears as she passed on. “Who is she, Victor, I don’t remember seeing her before." “Oh, a kid from the village." “Why didn’t you speak?" “Oh! we never do, no one takes any notice of her, her people were an awfully bad lot; she’s come here to some distant relations, but they are not over fond of her."

When they reached home they found tea ready and their three little sisters in a frantic state of excitement over a letter from their parents, who bad been travelling abroad. ‘ “Your mother says your uncle met them at Southampton and will bring tlieiA on in his yacht, so they will lie here late to-night,” Miss Burton, the governess-, informed them. The boys had nearly finished their work when the door burst open and Maizie apjieared on the threshold. “Boys," said he in an awed tone, “Jim Briggs has just come up from the village and he says Wenham, from the lighthouse you know, has fallen down the cliffs and nearly killed himself jthey’ve only just found him, and its as dark as pitch, an’ they can’t get out to the lighthouse to light the lamps." “But surely there were two men there?” asked Cuthdert, “there usually are.” “Yes, but Giddons got fired out last week and the new man hasn’t got in yet. By Jupiter, it’s a go,” and Victor drew in his lips for a whistle, but stopped short. “I say, uncle doesn’t know the coast, and if there’s no light he won’t see —"

“Let’s go down to -the beach and see what they’re doing," he said. They snatched up there caps and shouting there intentions to Miss Burton were off like a flash. Outside the wind nearly took them off there feet, and mingled with its howling came the suilen thunder of the sea. “Hi. Ben!" cried Victor as well as he could above the tumult. “What are you going to do?” “Don’t know. Master Victor," the old salt answered. “The sea’s too rough to get a boat out there now. If we’d found it- out afore we might ha’ done something, but it’s too late.”

“But our uncle’s yacht is coming, with .mother and father on board.” “Eh! but that’s bad. Its blowin’ up for a dirty night and-it’ll be rough out there on the reef with an off sea wind blowin’. ’Tis to be hoped the skipper knows what he’s about."

“There’s lights out yonder," said a man suddenly. “The yacht, I know it’s the yacht,” exclaimed Victor. “Can’t you get to the lighthouse anyhow, suppose she runs on the reef?"

“’Tain’t possible to get out, sir, with a sea like this. She won’t attempt to come in, I shouldn’t think. Her skipper’ll know it’s a dangerous bit.” “The lights are changing color," said Cutlibert, suddenly; “what does that mean?"

“•She want’s help, she can’t stand against the galfe, it's drivin’ her inshore. Ay, if only the lighthouse could show her she might manage it.” “Is there no one at all at the lighthouse ?”

“Nary a soul.” “And vou can't possiblv get out to it." “No."

Victor shut his eyes: he could not bear to see the lights. Was she to be wrecked and their parents drowned before their very eyes? A sudden shout, made him open them again. “Look! Look! the lighthouse!” And sure enough, in the very nick of time, the rays of the groat arc lamp gleamed out across the pitchy darkness. Yes, the lamp was alight, and there was no one in tlie lighthouse. Thank God! at last the way was clear, and elieer upon cheer rang lustily out, as the yacht made lier way carefully up to the little pier. “But why the dickens didn’t you light up sooner?” demanded the captain. . “Well, sir, old Wenham bein’ as it were, disabled, wo didn't find it out till too late to get out to the lighthouse, so there ain’t no one there." ‘‘Then who lighted the .lamp at last?" “No one, sir.” “But, man, it’s alight now.” “I know, sir; it just lighted itself as we stood a watching.” ‘Fiddlesticks," said the captain. “Brown." turning to liis lieutenant, “have the boat ready the first thing to-morrow. I’ll go over and see for myself. There must have been someone there."

With the first peep of day. Captain Fitzgerald was up and off to the beach, but the boys saw him go and came racing after him. “Do let us come too, uncle," they , pleaded, and he gave a willing assent. he boat was ready, and the storm'having blown itself out, they were able id reach their destination with little car ' fficulty. The door was not fastemli and Undo Bob pushed it open. All was silent and deserted, and a weird feeling crept over the boys. Who had lighted the lamp? After a short exa- ft mination their uncle led the way up the narrow winding stairs, to the room at the top, in which the great light stood. No one was about anywhere. “By jove, that’s queer," muttered, the captain to himself. “Hallo?" For there in the corner, curled up in a big pilot mat, fast asleep jay the little’girl whose “people were such a bad lot.” “Hello, lassie," said the captain, gently, bending over her, “wake up.” A pair of brown eyes opened and looked up at him wonderingly. “Have you been here all night by yourself, poor little soul?" “Yes, sir." “Who lighted the lamps?” “I did, sir. Wenham didn’t come fociok * * “Not he’s hurt, and cduldn’t; but how came you here, and how did you manage?” “Wenham had often shown me how to do it, he was good to me. I often come here when they -don’t wafit mo ashore," she finished, with a shrinking look at the boys. “By jove!” said the captain, “I’ll take care the village hears of this." He wa.s as good as his worn. They carried her back to the shore in triumph. And to his credit, be it said, that when his uncle landed and told the story to the assembled fishermen, it was Victor himself who led the cheering.