"I wonder no one comes to inquire after him. Has he no friends, Blair?"said Mrs. Robertson as evening was drawing on.
"I dare say not, mother. I never saw him with anybody. He does errandsround town, and has been sleeping at Mrs. McKinstry's, thewasherwoman's. He didn't take his meals there, I know, for I've seen himeating bread and cheese in some corner just when other folks weresitting down to dinner. They call him 'Hal the English boy;' but I guessnobody knows much about him."
"A stranger in a strange land," said Mrs. Robertson thoughtfully; andthen she rose up and went into the room where Hal was still lying.
Blair took up his Bible. How precious that Bible seemed to him now--thelight for his feet, the lamp for his path. With reverence he turned thesacred pages until he found the fifty-first psalm, which he read withsolemn earnestness, making its humble petitions truly his own.
While Blair was thus employed, Mrs. Robertson was talking in her ownkindly way to the stranger.
"So you are an English boy, Hal," she said. "That will not keep me fromloving you, for you know the Bible says we must 'love our enemies;' butI don't believe you are such a very dangerous enemy, after all." Herpleasant smile was like sunshine to the heart of the lonely boy, and hisreserve melted away before it.
"I'm Hinglish, because I was born in Hingland," said the boy. "Icouldn't help that; and I couldn't blame my father and mother for itneither, for I never knowed them. I've been an orphan always. But I'm anAmerican, because I chose this for my country, and I worked my passageover here, and I haven't begged from anybody."
"I'm glad you want to be an American," said Mrs. Robertson gently; "itis a great privilege. But there is something more to do for every boywho wants to be an American citizen, than just landing in this countryand earning his own living, and then by and by voting for our rulers."
Hal opened his large pale blue eyes in confused expectation, and wassilent.
Mrs. Robertson was not easily discouraged, and she went on. "You wouldthink it very rude, Hal, if I were to invite a poor stranger to my houseto dinner, and he should jump and laugh while I was asking God'sblessing before eating; and then toss the plates about, breaking mydishes and scattering the food over my clean floor. You would think theleast he could do would be to be civil, and keep the rules of my housewhile he was in it."
"Such a chap as that ought to have the door showed him right straight,"said Hal warmly.
"Well, my boy, this is what I mean: When we welcome strangers to ourfree country, which our fathers fought for and gave their blood to win,we expect those strangers to fall in with our ways, and not disturb thepeace and order of the pleasant home they have come to. Is not thatright?"
"Yes, ma'am; and I haven't disturbed anybody's peace nor order," saidHal with another blank look of the blue eyes.
"No, and I do not believe you ever will; but I have not done yet. Afree people, to be a safe people, must be a Christian people. Are you aChristian boy, Hal?" The question was asked with deep seriousness.
"I a'n't a heathen," said Hal in surprise.
"No, you don't bow down to a wooden idol, or worship snakes and bulls,as some heathen people do. But are you trying to serve God in all youthink and do and say? Have you asked him to forgive you all your sins,for the sake of his dear Son; and do you believe he has forgiven you,and taken you to be his own dear child?"
"I never had anybody talk to me so before," said Hal with a confusedlook; "but I take it, I a'n't what you call a Christian."
"I dare say you do not understand me very well," said Mrs. Robertson."God can make these things plain to you. Close your eyes, and I willkneel down here and ask him to teach you to know and love his holywill."
Hal had been at church many times in his life, and looked curiously onat the whole proceeding, as at a "show." Now for the first time he heardprayer made for him, for poor Hal Hutchings, to the great God of heaven.He gathered but little of the burden of the prayer; yet his first remarkafter Mrs. Robertson resumed her seat beside him was a proof that heappreciated the sincerity of her interest in him.
"You are very kind, ma'am," he said. "I'd like to be such an American asyou. I take it you are the best sort, not like them boys on the wharf."
"Those boys are very sorry for their mischief by this time," said Mrs.Robertson. "My own son would gladly do any thing for you. He says henever shall forget what he suffered when he thought you might be drownedin consequence of his folly. But I think he has learned a lesson he willnever forget. He has seen how far wrong he might go if he followed hisown foolish ways. I trust he will hereafter be a faithful, humble childof God."
"He pulled me out of the water," said Hal warmly. "He's true grit. I'dgo to the death for him."
"He will be very glad to have you for a faithful friend," said Mrs.Robertson; "but look, you must not teach him any thing bad, or tempt himto do wrong. He is my only child, and my dearest wish is to see him anoble, pure, Christian man."
"I wont teach him any 'arm as I knows to be 'arm," said Hal, putting outhis hand to ratify the bargain.
It was a rough, hard hand, but Mrs. Robertson took it kindly as sheanswered, "God help you to keep your promise, Hal;" and so theirinterview closed.
When Monday morning came, Hal Hutchings was up and dressed almost asearly as Mrs. Robertson herself. Into the kitchen he walked, hearing thegood lady's voice in that direction. "I'm going now," he said, "and Ijust looked in to bid you good-by."
"Stop and take breakfast with us, wont you, Hal? You shall not go awayhungry."
Some crisp cakes of codfish and potatoes were getting the last coat ofbrown in a frying-pan over the fire, and a huge loaf of Boston "brownbread" was on the table near at hand.
"I wouldn't mind a slice of that bread and one of them cakes, if youwould let me sit down here and eat 'em," said Hal.
Mrs. Robertson understood the boy's unwillingness to take a meal withstrangers who had been raised in habits of greater refinement than hisown. She kindly made a place for him where he was, and he soon renderedit evident that bashfulness had not taken away his appetite. "I don'twant you to leave us," said Mrs. Robertson. "I should like to have youstay here until we can find something for you to do. I want to teach youto be a good Christian boy, the right kind of an American."
"I don't want to be beholden to anybody," said Hal with decision. "Iworked my way over, and I haven't begged a penny since I came. I don'tmean to, unless I'm starving. Mrs. McKinstry has let me her little room.I've paid for it for this month, and I don't mean to lose my money. ButI like your teaching, ma'am. It takes hold of me different from anything I ever heard before."
"Come in on Sunday evenings then, Hal. I am always at home then, and Ishould love dearly to teach you, and help you to be a good boy. Will youcome?" said Mrs. Robertson.
"I will, ma'am, I will," said Hal; and making a rude attempt at a bow,he took his leave.
CHAPTER IV.
THE PATRIOT'S WORK.
Mrs. Robertson and her son were sitting at their pleasantbreakfast-table together.
"Blair," said the mother, "you want to be a patriot. Here is some workfor you to do for your country. We must try to make a good Americancitizen out of Hal, and a good Christian at the same time. The poorfellow is deeply grateful to you, and you will have a powerful influenceover him."
"I can't bear the English," said Blair warmly. "I don't like anyforeigners, for that matter. It don't seem to me they are the rightstuff to make American citizens out of. Give me the native-born Yankee,free and independent from his cradle upwards. That's my way ofthinking."
Blair stood up as he spoke, and waved his knife in a manner moreemphatic than elegant. A speech, one of his favorite speeches, seemedimminent. Blair did love to hear himself talk.
"My son, our question in life is not what we _like_, but what is _duty_.I think the laws of the kingdom of heaven should be the guide to everylover of his country. The voice of our Saviour is, '_Come_ unto me, allye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
' 'TheSpirit and the bride say, _Come_; and let him that heareth say, _Come._'Every true Christian echoes the saying of St. Paul, 'I would to God thatnot only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost andaltogether such as I am, except these bonds.' So it should be with everyfavored citizen of our happy land. We should welcome the oppressed ofevery clime, and strive to make them worthy partakers of the blessingswe enjoy. I do not like to hear you say you hate any nation. We are allof one blood, made in God's image."
"Dear mother," said Blair, "you are right; you are always right. Howthankful I ought to be to have such a guide, and such a help in keepingmy new resolutions. I want to do my duty even when it is hard for me.You shall see what a friend I will be to Hal. I mean to go out as soonas I have done breakfast, and see if I can look him up some steady work.I heard Old Jock say on Saturday he wanted a strong boy to help himhandle his nets. I'll try to get the place for Hal."
Blair was as prompt to act as to plan. A half hour after breakfast wasover he was standing by the cottage of an old fisherman and knockingfor admittance.
It took all Blair's powers of persuasion to induce Jock to have anything to do with what he called a "furriner." The case seemed well-nighlost, when Blair mounted on a chair, and made a small speech in his beststyle for the benefit of his single auditor. Whether won over by itslogic or through a sense of the honor thus conferred upon him, Jockagreed to Blair's proposition.
"The first speech I ever made to any purpose," thought Blair, as hewalked rapidly along the shore, wending his way to Mrs. McKinstry'sdwelling.
Hal had locked himself into his "castle," as the only way in which hecould escape the merciless scolding of his voluble hostess. She seemedto consider every stain on the injured garments a blot on the shield ofthe English boy which no apologies could excuse or efface. Hal fairlyfled before the enemy; and once safe in his own room, whistled solustily as to drown all sound of the railing from without.
It was an unusually busy day with Mrs. McKinstry, or it is doubtfulwhether she would have allowed even this close to the skirmish, for shehad a taste for such encounters. Blair however heard the dripping andswashing of water in the rear of the house as he went up the narrowstairway. The wide cap-border of Mrs. McKinstry was fanning backwardsand forwards, as she bent with a regular motion over the tub in whichher red arms were immersed. She gave one look at Blair as he went up toher lodger's room, but did not condescend even to exchange watchwordswith him.
In answer to Blair's knock was returned a resolute "Who's there?"
The reply set Hal's mind at ease, and the visitor was promptly admitted.Blair stated his business at once, but to his surprise he met with ablank refusal from Hal. He would not fall in with such a plan, not he.He would keep out of the water while there was any land left to standon. He had had enough of plumping to the bottom, and coming up, earssinging, throat choking, and soul almost scared out of him. Better acrumb of bread and a morsel of cheese, than fatness and plenty earned insuch a way.
It was hard for Blair to understand the nervous fear of drowning whichhad taken possession of poor Hal. Fairport boys could swim almost assoon as they could walk. They knew nothing of the helpless feeling ofone who has the great deep under him, and is powerless to struggle inits waves.
But a few short days before, Blair would have pronounced Hal a coward,and left him in disdain. Now he stood silent for a moment, baffled andpuzzled. "I'll teach you to swim, Hal," he said at length. "We'll try inshallow water first, where you couldn't drown, unless you wish to drownyourself. It is easy--just as easy as any thing, if you only know how.I'll come for you after school this evening, and we'll go up the creek,where the boys wont be about. I shouldn't wonder if you were to take toit like a fish."
The English boy looked into Blair's frank pleasant face, and the doggedexpression passed from his own. He took Blair's hand as he said, "I'lltry. You shall see what you can make out of me."
Before many weeks were over, Hal Hutchings was as good a swimmer as halfthe boys in Fairport. Old Jock no longer waded into the deep water toset his nets or push his boat ashore. He declared that Hal had scaredthe rheumatism out of his bones, and it was not likely to make bold tocome back, if things went on as they seemed to promise.
CHAPTER V.
BLAIR'S COMPANY.
Blair Robertson had long had a famous military company of his own,called the Fairport Guard. A guard _against what_ had never beenpublicly stated; and as they had no written constitution for theirassociation, posterity must ever remain in ignorance on this point. Upand down the streets of Fairport it was their delight to parade on aSaturday afternoon, to the infinite amusement of the small girls who atemolasses candy and looked at the imposing array.
The breaking out of the war infused a new military spirit into all theyoungsters on the Atlantic coast, and the Fairport Guard came in fortheir share of this growing enthusiasm. Cocks' tail feathers andbroomsticks were suddenly in great requisition for the increasing rankand file, and the officers bore themselves with added dignity, and gaveout their orders with an earnestness which proved that they appreciatedthe work they were imitating.
When it was rumored that Blair Robertson had become a communicant in thechurch to which his mother belonged, there was a general groan among hisold followers and adherents. Here was an end, in their minds, to theFairport Guard, and every other species of fun in which Blair had beenso long a leader and abettor.
Blair was at first inclined to shrink from his old companions; but asthe right spirit grew and strengthened within him, he mingled among themmore freely, actuated by the desire to win new citizens for the kingdomof heaven, and to guide his wild associates into such paths as wouldmake them a blessing to their native land.
Blair's heart had been like rich ground, in which his mother had beensowing, sowing, sowing good seed, prayerfully waiting until it shouldspring up and take root to his own salvation and the glory of God. Thathappy time had come. All the words of counsel, all the pure teachingthat had been stored in his mind, seemed now warmed into life, and everrising up to prompt him to good and guard him from evil. Happy are theboys who have such a mother.
A series of rainy Saturdays had postponed the question as to whether theFairport Guard should parade as usual under the command of their longhonored captain. A bright sunny holiday came at last, and Blair'sdecision on this point must now be declared. Long and prayerfully theboy had considered the subject, and his conclusion was fixed andunalterable.
The change in Blair's principles and feelings had not alienated him fromhis former companions. Each one of them had now for him a new value.They were to him wandering children of his heavenly Father, whom helonged to bring back to that Father's house. The wildest and most erringamong them called forth his most tender interest, as farthest from thekingdom of heaven and in the most danger of utter destruction.
Blair's love of his country too had been but deepened and increased byhis late realization of the allegiance he himself owed to the King ofkings. His native land was now to him a dear portion of the greatvineyard on which he desired the especial blessing of God. He moredeeply appreciated the fact that every true Christian man is indeed anelement of wholesome life and prosperity to the neighborhood and land inwhich he dwells. The boys of the present day were soon to be the men onwhom the state must rely for power and permanency. With a true patriot'szeal, Blair resolved to do all in his power to bring the boys ofFairport to be such Christian men as would be a blessing in their dayand generation. These thoughts had gone far to fix his decision withreference to the Fairport Guard.
It was with a burst of enthusiastic applause that the little company sawBlair appear upon the public square in his well-known uniform. Histhree-cornered hat of black pasteboard was surmounted by a long blackfeather, and fastened under his chin by a fine leather strap, the strapbeing bordered by a ferocious pair of whiskers, to afford which the"black sheep" of some neighboring flock had evidently suffered. Hisgrandfather's coat, which had been worn at Bunker H
ill, enveloped hisslender form, and increased the imposing effect of his tall figure uponthe minds of his subordinates.
"Three cheers for Captain Robertson! Three cheers for Blair!" shoutedthe boys as their leader approached.
The cheers rung out on the air somewhat feebly, though that was owing tothe weakness of the throats that raised them, rather than to any want ofgoodwill, and so Blair understood it.
"Now give us a speech before we fall into rank," called out one of thecompany.
"That is just what I mean to do, if you will all listen to me," said thecaptain in his most dignified manner.
The stump of a fallen tree served to elevate our speaker on thisoccasion, as it has many an older orator in circumstances no moreinteresting to his hearers than were the present to the eager group oflisteners.
Blair had another purpose now than to hear himself talk. The short pausewhich preceded his opening sentence was not merely for effect. In thosefew seconds Blair was asking aid from his heavenly Father so to speakthat he might have power to move his hearers and guide them aright.