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But alas! Halbert was not there. Shag was alone. The old dog entered the door, and began to whine in a piteous manner.

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"O Malcolm, Malcolm, my brave son has perished in the snow!" exclaimed the mother.

Malcolm stood wondering. His heart beat rapidly. A fear that the worst had happened almost overcame him. At that moment he saw a small package around the dog's neck.

Seizing it in his hands, he exclaimed, "No, wife; look! Our boy lives! Here is

the medicine, tied with his handkerchief; he has fallen into one of the deep ravines, but he is safe.

"I will go out, and Shag shall go with me. He will conduct me safely to the rescue of my child."

In an instant Shag was again on his feet, and gave evidence of great joy as he left the cottage with his old master.

You may imagine the misery and grief the poor mother suffered-alone in her mountain dwelling; the certainty of her son's danger, and the fear that her husband also might perish.

Shag went on straight and steadily for some distance after he left the cottage. Suddenly he turned down a path which led to the foot of the precipice over which Halbert had fallen.

The descent was steep and dangerous, and Malcolm was frequently obliged to support himself by clinging to the frozen branches of the trees.

At last Malcolm stood on the lower and opposite edge of the pit into which his son had fallen. He called to him, "Halbert! Halbert!" He looked in every direction, but could not see or hear anything.

Shag was making his way down a very steep and dangerous ledge of rocks, and Malcolm resolved at all hazards to follow him.

After getting to the bottom, Shag scrambled to a projecting rock, which was covered with snow, and commenced whining and scratching in a violent manner.

Malcolm followed, and after some search found what appeared to be the dead body of his son. He hastily tore off the jacket, which was soaked with blood and snow, and wrapping Halbert in his great cloak,

took him upon his shoulders, and with much toil and difficulty reached the path again, and soon had his boy at home.

Halbert was placed in his mother's bed, and by using great exertion, they aroused him from his dangerous sleep.

He was much bruised and had his ankle dislocated, but was not otherwise hurt. When he recovered his senses, he fixed his eyes on his mother, and his first words were, "Did you get the medicine, mother?"

When he fell, Shag had descended after him. The affectionate son used what little strength he had left to tie the medicine that he had received received from the doctor around the dog's neck, and then sent him home with it.

You may be sure that Shag was well taken care of after this incident. Even after Halbert became a man Shag was his constant companion, and he lived to a good old age.

Language Lesson.-Let pupils add ship to each of the following words, and then give their meaning.

friend

hard

relation

partner

fellow

Make out an analysis of the lesson, and use it in telling the story in your own words.

LESSON

ĕbbing, flowing out; falling.
break'ers, waves breaking into
foam against the shore.
main, the great sea; the ocean.
reef, a row or chain of rocks.
dis māyed', having lost courage.

LII.

strănd, beach; shore. treach'er qus, likely to do harm. vie'tor, a successful warrior. shroud'ing, covering over. mûrk'y, gloomy; dark. bea'eon, a signal fire or light.

THE LIGHTHOUSE.

The tide comes up, and the tide goes down,
Over the rocks, so rugged and brown,
And the cruel sea, with a hungry roar,
Dashes its breakers along the shore;
But steady and clear, with a constant ray,
The star of the lighthouse shines alway.

The ships come sailing across the main,
But the harbor mouth is hard to gain,
For the treacherous reef lies close beside,
And the rocks are bare at the ebbing tide,
And the blinding fog comes down at night,
Shrouding and hiding the harbor light.

The sailors, sailing their ships along,

Will tell you a tale of the lighthouse strong;
How once, when the keeper was far away,
A terrible storm swept down the bay,
And two little children were left to keep
Their awesome watch with the angry deep.

The fair little sister wept, dismayed,
But the brother said, "I am not afraid;
There's One who ruleth on sea and land,
And holds the sea in His mighty hand;
For mercy's sake I will watch to-night,
And feed, for the sailors, the beacon light."

[graphic]

So the sailors heard through the murky shroud
The fog bell sounding its warning loud!
While the children, up in the lonely tower,
Tended the lamp in the midnight hour,
And prayed for any whose souls might be
In deadly peril by land or sea.

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