'It will be some minutes before they get to us,' said Edmund anxiously. 'I must seat you up on my shoulder, Bud-there!' He leaned for support against the rock at the side of the entrance.

The party in the boat were doing all they could to hasten to them. Higher and higher came the waves, nearly taking Edmund off his feet. Now the water was up to his neck, but still it must be some moments before the boat could possibly reach him. Edmund felt that another wave or two must carry him away. He looked up in despair. Just above his head, a little on one side, was a small ledge of rock sticking out. He made up his mind.

I am

'Now Bud, be brave, and do as I tell you. going to put you up there. There is just room for you to sit firm. Sit there till they come, and keep your eyes on the boat. Don't look down at the water, it will make you giddy. Promise me, quick!' 'Yes, yes, I promise!' said Violet.

He gave her one kiss, and stretching up, placed her safely on the ledge.

'Now then! look at the boat!' cried Edmund. 'God bless you, darling!'

The next moment he lost his footing, and was carried away by the waves.

CHAPTER XIII.

SAVED.

IOLET sat on the ledge, her eyes fixed on the boat, as Edmund had bid her. She did not stir; she was so afraid of falling. She never saw him disappear under the

Three minutes more-they seemed long minutes to her-and the boat bumped against the cliff, close under her.

'Eddy, they're come!' she cried, and then, looking round for the first time, saw no Edmund. She gave one scream, then her head swam, and she fell; her father caught her in his arms.

She knew nothing more until she opened her eyes in her own little bed at home, many hours after.

'Eddy!' was the first word she murmured.

Mamma was at her bedside in a moment.

'What is it, darling?' she asked.

'Eddy!' repeated Violet.

Her mother's eyes were full of tears. darling,' she said, kissing Violet fondly. says you must keep quite quiet.'

Baby Bud closed her eyes again.

sleep, however. She was thinking of Edmund, and trying to remember when she had last seen him, and where.

She lay silent for some time, and at last said, suddenly

'Mamma dear, I have forgotten everything!'

'Have you, dear? Then don't trouble yourself. It will all come back by and bye.'

'I seem to do nothing but hear the sea,' said Violet. 'It bizzes in my ears, and bizzes, and I feel to be all floating about. I wish Eddy was here, that I might hold him tight! Where is he?'

'You must be a good little girl, and not talk,' said her mamma. 'It is bad for you, darling. You are weak.' And she went back to her seat in the

window.

Then Violet lay still and quiet for a long time, thinking and thinking, and trying to puzzle out things she could not remember. And in the middle of this her eye fell on her mother, as she sat in the easychair in the window, and she thought she did not look as she generally looked, somehow. Her face was quite pale, and all round her eyes was red; she looked sad, and she sat there doing nothing, which

was not mamma's way at all, unless she was very tired. What was it? Violet lay wondering, but did not speak, until her mamma got up, and gave her some medicine.

As she stooped to kiss her afterwards, Violet said— Mamma, darling, are you ill?'

'No, my sweet,' and the eyes filled with tears again. 'Are you sad, dear mamma ?'

'Yes, darling, but be quiet now.' And mamma went away, and nurse came to stay in the room.

Violet wanted to speak to nurse, but nurse put her finger on her lips, and drew down the blind. But before she did it, Violet saw that nurse had been crying too.

The day seemed very long to her.

She lay trying to think of something that would not come.

At last it came. All in a moment she remembered about the cave, and the sea, and Edmund.

She started up with a scream—

'Eddy! where is he? Eddy! Eddy!'

'My dear

'Hush! hush! my lamb!' said nurse, coming up to the bed, and trying to soothe Violet. lamb! don't ye, now, don't!' And she burst into tears that she could not keep back.

'Tell me, dear nursie, do, and I will be good. Where is my Eddy?'

'Safe in the arms of the LORD JESUS,' said nurse, 'for ever and ever. Happy, oh, so happy!'

She broke down, sobbing.

'Oh nursie! my Eddy! my own Eddy! Let me die, and go to him!'

Violet was very ill after this. For some weeks she hung between life and death. All her cry was— 'Eddy! Eddy! my own Eddy!'

She got better slowly. Life seemed to her very sad without Eddy, who had been so much to her in every way. No one could brighten her up. She thought she never could be quite happy again, until the day came for her to die and go to him.

The day when she was, for the first time, carried out again into the garden, she lay sad and silent on the sofa. Nurse carried her there, for papa was in town, and mamma was ill in bed. The fatigue of nursing Violet, and sorrow for the loss of her dear boy, had broken her down at last.

'Cheer up, my darling,' said nurse, as she laid Violet down and put the shawl over her feet. 'There's Miss Alice going to read you a pretty story, like an angel as she is. She's coming out directly. Cheer up now, and do ye let your old nursie see a smile once more!'

The tears filled Violet's eyes.

'I can't help it, nursie,' she said wearily.

'For your dear mamma's sake you should try, my pet,' said nurse. 'Think of her sorrow, it is greater than yours. And how sweet and patient she