CHAPTER XI.

REUNITED.

THE remainder of that year saw a steady, persevering effort on the part of all to walk in the path of duty, and be loving, sympathetic, and unselfish one towards the other. It might well give their mother joy to witness the good seed taking root and springing up in her children's hearts, and she prayed daily that they and her husband might all be spared so that the beginning of another year might find them once more a united and happy family.

Not the least of her mercies did she reckon Dora's restoration to health. On returning home she cheerfully obeyed the doctor's directions, and being careful not to overtax her strength, and only to resume her duties as she felt fully able to discharge them, her recovery was more rapid than her mother had dared to hope.

And Lancie, though he would always be delicate and never have the use of his poor withered limb, was better than he had been for years. Then it was found that he possessed great ability for drawing, and in the little cripple's heart there had sprung up a hope that, if he studied patiently and perseveringly, he might eventually earn his living as an artist. Other men, with weaker and more deformed bodies than his, had done it, and why not he? This hope, which he kept locked in his own heart, was a source of happiness to Lancie, and took away much that had helped to make him joyless and gloomy.

So time passed on. The Christmas holidays came and went; lessons at home and at school were again begun; and in a few days the ship in which Mr. Grainger had left Sydney was expected to arrive at Southampton.

It was evening; tea had been cleared away, and all excepting Phil, who was building a wonderful house of wooden bricks, and Olive and Lottie, who were making dolls' clothes, were intent either upon books or lessons. Stay though, there was one more exception—Mrs. Grainger was busy at her not unusual occupation of darning stockings, in which work she paused occasionally to hear Lancie repeat the tenses of a French verb.

Two or three of the party remembered afterwards that they had heard the front door bell ring; but nobody was paying any attention to what was going on outside, till suddenly the sound of Mary's voice fell upon their ears. So still was the room, and so eager and excited were her tones, that her words were distinctly audible.

"Why, sir, it is yourself, sure enough. Oh, won't they be glad! But they wasn't expectin' you for a day or two yet."

Then another voice was heard, and at the first sound, a little cry escaped Mrs. Grainger's lips. She rose hurriedly from her seat, and the next moment was in the hall. The children followed her, and then there was a shout, a rush, a crowding round a tall, bearded figure in an overcoat, while exclamations of delight and welcome, kisses, sobbing and laughter, were mixed together in wild confusion.

It was some little time before it was understood that, owing to the favourable weather, the good ship "Seabird" had completed the voyage sooner than was expected, and wishing to give his wife and children a glad surprise, Mr. Grainger had come straight from port without giving notice of his arrival in England. His anticipations of that meeting were not disappointed.

Mary had had her handshake, and, pleased and grateful for the goodwill it betokened, had retired to the kitchen. And while she busied herself in "getting out the tea-things for master," she constantly wiped away her tears at the sounds of rejoicing that reached her.

What an evening that was! Phil got sleepy at last and asked to be put to bed, but all the rest sat up till midnight. They felt they could not tear themselves away from the presence of the dear father who had been absent so long. And how they loved him! Had they ever known how much before that evening, they wondered.

Presently, when the clock gave warning that some of them must begin to think about saying good-night, and after a pause that seemed made because the happiness in that little room had grown almost too great for words, Edgar, in obedience to the wish he read in the faces of his brothers and sisters, became spokesman for them all.

"Father, you left us a trust—a charge," he said; and, having risen from his seat next his mother, he laid his hand gently on her shoulder. "We have not fulfilled it as we ought, as we might have done, but I think we can honestly say we have not been wholly forgetful, and have each done something to prove it."

"I know that, dear boy," was his father's reply. "Your mother's letters told me a great deal; the rest I could fill in for myself. I thank you all for taking such good care of her, and for striving to do your utmost to relieve and help her in every way you could. It was the truest way in which you could show your love for me."

"Father, I didn't; I added to her troubles." The words came from Dora. She said them eagerly, impulsively, as was sometimes her manner. And no sooner had her voice died away than Robert was heard saying sorrowfully,—

"You know what I did. I have been the worst of all."

"My boy, you fell grievously," said Mr. Grainger, gravely but fondly, "but you were sorry, and God forbid that I should ever bring up your sin against you. Be thankful you profited by your bitter experience. Your repentance brought your promise to your memory, and I know you have striven to keep it, for you have struggled with your besetting sins, and are steadily and surely overcoming them. Robert, I do not think we need speak of the past again."

No, there was no need; he felt that, and he looked into his father's face with a smile that was full of trust and full of love.

"And I have tried to keep the promise, father."

"And I."

"And I."

Not one voice was silent, but some were confident and sure, and others were doubtful and hesitating.

"I know you have, each one of you, though some have tried more bravely and thoroughly than the rest. Now let us resolve that from this time we will strive still more earnestly to love our Heavenly Father and to please and serve Him. Then our love for each other will increase and deepen, for he that loveth God will love his brother also. Children, kneel with me, and let us offer hearty thanks to Him who has permitted us all meet together again in safety, and let us, too, ask His blessing upon the future that awaits us."

A heartfelt prayer is never offered in vain, and with that blessing resting upon them, we may be sure the efforts of the again united family were not fruitless. We may be certain, too, that, with the love of God binding them together and strengthening their love for each other, there could be no happier household than that to which we must now say good-bye.

THE END.

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GILBERT AND RIVINGTON, LD., ST. JOHN'S HOUSE, CLERKENWELL ROAD, LONDON.