20 OVER THE SEA.

“Well, wife, I will tell you. I have had an adventure to-day which might have ended
badly enough, but thanks to the big lump of plum-pudding you made me take away with

me this morning, instead of ending badly, see here!” And taking a purse from his trousers
pocket, to the astonishment of his wife, he counted out on the table before her fifty golden
sovereigns.

She could hardly believe her eyes, and lifting up her hands in astonishment, exclaimed :
“ Why, John, dear, what is the meaning of it all? Are you dreaming, or am 1? For what
can my plum-pudding have to do with all that gold?”

The children meanwhile gazed with wide-open eyes, and all anxiously awaited the
wonderful story.

“Yes, wife,” he said, laughing at their bewilderment, “you may indeed be surprised, but

 

I say again that I owe those bright pieces to your slice of plum-pudding, and here it is!”
taking as he spoke something out of the inner pocket of his coat. “To my dying day I
shall keep it, and leave it as an heirloom to my family to show how the most unlikely thing
may become through Providence the means of saving a life.

“T went off to market this morning somewhat in a hurry, as you know, and on my way
back through the woods, about five miles from there, seeing that my watch pointed to
twelve, I was thinking I might have a rest and eat my dinner, when I suddenly heard voices
and the tramp of approaching feet, and became aware that a shooting party was close at
hand.

“You know how fond I am of sport, and I thought I would watch them at it a bit, but
not to disturb the gentlemen, I kept on the opposite side of the hedge, where I had a good
view of their proceedings.