quite willing to let Nana bring it back should Madame Rivière object to its remaining at the school.

Hilda had so many 'good-byes' to say, that she hardly knew where to begin to say them.

She had kissed the horses, the dogs, the cows, some of the best fowls, and the flowers, the night before, she told Nana when she went to bed, so as not to forget any of them.

Her father was to go on board to see her off; her mother was not quite strong enough for this, so she kissed mother last of all before starting, little Dora last but one.

The child could not speak when she embraced her mother, whose own tears helped her to realize what parting for a long time meant.

'God bless my own little Hilda !' she whispered. 'Be a dear, good child, always obedient, always truthful, and say your prayers very reverently and regularly;' her mother would have added, 'And be very kind and loving, Hilda,' but this warning did not seem necessary, as Hilda's little heart seemed ready to overflow with love.

'God be with my precious darling!' her mother said again, as for the last time she kissed her little one, who was then lifted into her father's strong arms and carried away.

Old Grandfather Charles and Nenus went to the wharf to see little Miss Hilda start, so did many other of her native friends, and most of them, including old Charles, walked all the way, although the wharf was several miles from home. Many black people are wonderful walkers, and old black people are often very strong.

Hilda was on board, and missing her little box, she begged old grandfather to go and look for it for her, as she wanted

to have it with her all the time. He then asked a native sailor, whom he knew, to get it for him. It so happened that Nana had already asked another man to look after it for her, so, as native boatmen object very strongly to be interfered with, and both these men thought that it was their duty to look after the little box put under their special charge, there was quite a scuffle between them. The man who had it first retained possession of it, and carried it down into the cabin that Mr. Montgomery had selected for Nana and Hilda, and which he was then showing to old Charles and Nenus, who, never having been on board a large ship before, thought it a very wonderful sight. Hilda could not care about anything until her little box was in her own possession once more, and then she was astonished, with the rest, that a ship that was to sail upon the sea could be half as large as was this one.

Very safely the little trunk now travelled in the cabin to its journey's end, but when the steamer landed at the French port a similar contention took place between the two sailors as had taken place before the vessel started. Both men wished to oblige Nana and the little girl by carrying the box on deck and looking after it, and neither of the sailors who were disputing about it saw the Customhouse officer at that moment come on board to examine the passengers' luggage. Hilda could not think what was. to be done with her treasures when her little key was demanded and her box looked into, but she felt very much relieved when the grand-looking officer smiled and said that would do, they could close it again, without taking out her doll at all.

Hilda's little trunk seemed of great importance ;-but we

are getting on too quickly with our story, and now that we are assured of its safety, must go back again to the beginning of the voyage that Hilda has to make.

The little girl held her father's hand tighter and tighter, as minute after minute slipping by brought that moment. ever nearer which was to separate them, as though by a yet firmer grasp the little fingers would detain him prisoner; but at last the dreadful moment came, and Hilda said 'good-bye' to father, and a last 'good-bye' to Grenada, her very happy little island home.