seemed as if it was but yesterday when he had kneeled upon the
door-stone in prayer for those who were sleeping, unconscious of the
sorrow which awaited them. His heart beat wildly as he drew near his
home,--so great was his joy that he had not observed that Nep had not
accompanied him from the ship. It was evident that he would take the
family by surprise, for not even old Vingo was to be seen about the
premises. Noiselessly he opened the door,--his mother was sitting with
her face from him, engaged with her sewing, and at her feet sat the
Sea-flower, so absorbed, reading his last letter, that she was not aware
of his presence till he threw his arms about his mother's neck, and
sobbed like a child. As he turned to his sister he faltered; what a
change had been wrought in her in three years! The child, whose mature
mind had not been in accordance with her years, had come to be a fair
maiden of sixteen summers! The bud had indeed expanded, till now its
unfolding leaves were as new-born rays of love, reminding Earth of
Heaven. The Sea-flower saw that her brother hesitated in giving her his
usual salutation, and throwing herself into his arms, she said,--"I am
the little Sea-flower still, dear Harry; I shall always be the same
simple child; but how you have grown, dear brother! I can hardly believe
you are the little rogue who used to hide my pet kitten, because you
loved to see the tears come into my eyes, and you would look at me
without speaking a word, till I would laugh outright, and break the
charm, as you said; and then the tears would come in your own eyes, for
fear you had been selfish. But I felt that my tears were not in vain,
for I usually found some little stranger among the bright-eyed ones,
that looked up to me for protection."

"I knew I should find you the same dear sister as ever! I knew you would
always be the same;" and as the vague remembrance that she was of other
parentage flashed across his mind, he modestly pressed her hand to his