True Nobles and feroes. 27

that one or other of the sailors on board had
hidden the boy, insisted that he should tell
him who had done so. The boy, looking
into his face, replied, ‘“ Please, sir, none of
them. It was my father who put me on
board, and said I was not to come out for
two days and nights, and then I was to say
that I was going to my auntie who lives in
New York: she would take care of me. My
father said he had no money to pay for me,
or he would not have put me on board.”
The mate, suspicious and angry, said, “It is
a lie, boy. Unless you tell me the truth,
I will thrash you.” The boy persisted in
his story, and affirmed its truthfulness. To
terrify him still further, and find out if his
story were really true or not, the mate took
a rope in his hand, and making a noose with
it said to the boy, “ Unless you tell me the
truth in ten minutes I will hang you to the
mast-head.” “Please, sir,” said the boy-
hero, ‘‘I could not tell a lie. I have told
you the truth. May I pray, sir?” The mate,
with a choking sensation in his throat,
replied, “Yes, boy, you may.” And then
there occurred such a scene on board that