FACING THE WORLD, 19

So, after two days’ rest which he much needed,
= the boy went off again “on his own hook,” and
“his bicycle, which was a degree better than his
legs, he said, as it saves shoe-leather. Also, he
~ was able to come home pretty regularly at the same
~ hour, which was a great relief to his mother. But
~ he came home nearly as tired as ever, and with a
 despondent look which deepened every day. Evi-
dently it was just the same story; no work to be
» had; or if there was work, it was struggled for by
. a score of fellows, with age, character, and experi-
“ence to back them, and Donald had none of the
three. But he had one quality, the root of all suc-
: cess in the end, dogged perseverance.

_ There is a saying, that we British gain our vic-
“tories, not because we are never beaten, but be-
Cause we tiever will see that we are beaten, and so
-. go on fighting till we win. “Never say die,” was
~ “Donald’s word to his mother night after night.
But she knew that those who never say die, some-
times do die, quite quietly, and she watched with a
sore heart, her boy growing thinner and more worn,
--even though brown as a berry with constant ex-
-. posure all day long to wind and weather, for it was
now less autumn than winter.
. After a fortnight, Mrs. Boyd made up her mind
that this could not go on any longer, and said so.
"Very well,” Donald answered, accepting her
“decision as he had been in the habit of doing all
his life. —Mrs. Boyd’s children knew very well
_.- that whatever her will was, it was sure to be a just
and wise will, herself being the last person she
ever thought of. — “Yes, I’ll give in, if you think
I ought, for it’s only wearing out myself and my
Clothes to no good. Only let me have one day
“more and Til go as far as ever I can, perhaps to
Dunfermline, or even Glasgow.”
'. She would not forbid, and once more she started
,. him off with a cheerful face in the twilight of the
“-wet October morning, and sat all day long in the
empty house —for the younger ones were now all
going to school again — thinking sorrowfully of
her eldest, whose merry school days were done for-
er.

 

 

   
  
    
   
  
  
 
 
  

  

     
  

 

= In the dusk of the afternoon a card was brought
-oup to her, with the message that an old gentleman

_. Was waiting below, wishing to see her.

-. »s A shudder ran through the poor mother, who,

.. like many another mother, hated bicycles, and

~. Never had an easy mind when Donald was away

 

on his. The stranger’s first word was anything
but reassuring.

“ Beg pardon, ma’am, but is your name Boyd,
and have you a son called Donald, who went out
on a bicycle this morning ?”

“Yes, yes! Has anything happened ?
quick !”

“J’m not aware, ma’am, that anything has hap-
pened,” said the old gentleman. “I saw the lad
at light this morning. He seemed to be managing
his machine uncommonly well. I met him at the
foot of a hill near Edinburgh Castle. He had got
off and was walking; so he saw me, and took off
his cap. I like respect, especially in a young fel-
low towards an old one.”

“Did he know you, for I have not that pleasure?”
said Mrs. Boyd, polite, though puzzled. For the
old man did not look quite like a gentleman, and
spoke with the strong accent of an uneducated
person, yet he had a kindly expression, and
seemed honest and well-meaning, though decidedly
“canny.”

“‘T cannot say he knew me, but he remembered
me, which was civil of him. And then I minded
the lad as the one that had come to me for work
a week or two ago, and I took his name and
address. That’s your son’s writing ?”’ he jumbled

Tell me

 

EDINBURGH CASTLE.

out and showed a scrap of paper.
isn’t it?

* And he really is in search of work? He hasn’t
run away from home, or been turned out by his
father for misconduct, or anything of that sort? He
isn’t a scamp, or a ne’er-do-weel?”

‘I hope he doesn’t look like it,” said Mrs,
Boyd, proudly,

“It’s bona fide,