all but two, and these would barely contain the passengers and crew, should it be requisite to abandon the ship. On the fourth day, the alarm of fire was raised. The hold was in flames. In a few minutes more the flames would reach the magazine. The time was midnight. The captain was on deck, and gave his orders with calm self-composure.

11. "Lower the boats. Let the women and children go first; then every man according to his age." "Ay! ay!" replied his brave men. The wives of the officers, and the steerage passengers, and the children were safely lowered into the boats. "Now for as many as the boats have room to spare," shouted Frobisher.

12. The Ambassador sprang forward. "Back," said Frobisher, "years before position; Lieutenant Brown, it is your turn first." "Heaven bless you!" cried Brown, bursting into tears, "we are friends at last!" Frobisher shook him by the hand, exclaiming, "in the presence of death, why should we not be so? I have never quarrelled with you."

13. The boats were full, almost too full. A preliminary explosion announced the coming catastrophe. "Cast off, and pull for your lives," cried Frobisher, as he stood by the gangway. "We must and shall save you ! was the cry that came back from the dark waves. Away! away!" was the reply. Then came a low rumbling sound, then a great flash, and a clap like thunder, and the splintered spars and masts of the ship "Mendip were floating on the waste of waters. The brave

H

"

captain was no more, but the boats with all on board reached land in safety.

Captain Leighton, of the English ship "Three Bells," some years ago rescued the crew of an American vessel sinking in mid-ocean. Unable to take them off in the storm and darkness, he kept by them till morning, running down often during the night, as near to them as he dared, and shouting to them through his trumpet, "Never fear! Hold on! I'll stand by you!"

Poal'-ed, sounded forth.

Rak'-ed, scraped, as with a rake.

Splin'-ter-ing, breaking.
Taff-rail, the stern of the ship.

1. BENEATH the low-hung night cloud
That raked her splintering mast

The good ship settled slowly,

The cruel leak gained fast.

2. Over the awful ocean

Her signal guns pealed out,
Dear God! was that Thy answer
From the horror round about?

3. A voice came down the wild wind,
"Ho! ship ahoy!" its cry:
"Our stout Three Bells of Glasgow
Shall stand till daylight by !"

4. Hour after hour crept slowly,
Yet on the heaving swells
Tossed up and down the shiplights,
The lights of the Three Bells.
5. And ship to ship made signals,
Man answered back to man,
While oft, to cheer and hearten,
The Three Bells nearer ran;

6. And the captain from her taffrail
Sent down his hopeful cry.
"Take heart! Hold on!" he shouted;
"The Three Bells shall stand by !"

7. All night across the waters

;

The tossing lights shone clear
All night from reeling taffrail
The Three Bells sent her cheer.

8. And when the dreary watches

Of storm and darkness passed,
Just as the wreck lurched under,
All souls were saved at last.

9. Sail on, Three Bells, for ever,
In grateful memory sail!
Ring on, Three Bells of rescue,
Above the wave and gale!

1

10. As thine, in night and tempest,
I hear the Master's cry,

And, tossing through the darkness,
The lights of God draw nigh.

66

HAVE somewhere read," said Willie, "that Sir Isaac Newton was led to make some of his great discoveries by seeing an apple fall from a tree. But I don't see anything wonderful in the fall of an apple. Why should not an apple fall when its stem is broken?"

2. "Let me ask you in return," said Uncle John, "if you see any reason why an apple should fall when its stem is broken? Can you tell why anything falls to the ground?"

3. "I suppose an apple falls from the tree when

its stem is broken," said Willie, "because, because there is nothing to hold it up any longer. It is forced to fall. It can't help it."

4. "Just so, just so," said Uncle John;" it is forced to fall. It can't help it. But what is it that forces the apple to fall? Do you think the apple has any power to move itself? ”

5. Willie thought for some time, and then said that he did not suppose the apple could move itself. "But I should like to know," said he, "what makes it fall?"

6. "That is the very question that Newton asked himself," said Uncle John. "And when he could answer that question, he could answer a great many more questions that had long puzzled all the philosophers before him.”

7. "But I don't see yet, what makes the apple fall," said Willie. "There must be something that pulls it down to the earth." "Just so, just so," said Uncle John. "The earth pulls the apple to it." 8. "But I don't see the earth pull it," said Willie; "and I don't see how the earth can pull it." "Nor does anyone know how it can do it. All we know, is the fact that there is a force or power in the earth which draws the apple; and that power Newton called attraction. We say, the earth attracts the apple to it. The earth attracts us also, and keeps us from falling off."

power of

The apple

9. "But do not other bodies have this attraction?" asked Willie. "Certainly. has the same kind of power; but its power is very small, compared with the power of the great