He returned the embrace, hugging her tightly to his breast.
"It mayn't be true, Lu," he said brokenly; "but oh, I'm afraid it is: they say it's feared his ship has gone down with all on board." "Gone down ?" she repeated in a dazed tone, as if unable to believe in the possibility of so terrible a disaster.

"Gone down ?" "Yes, in the sea--the dreadful sea! O Lu, shall we ever see our father again in this world ?" "Do you mean that papa is drowned?
Oh, I can't, I _won't_ have it so! He'll come back again, Max--he surely will! I couldn't live without him, and neither could you, or Gracie; but oh maybe she will die too! And I'm afraid it's because I'm so bad; God is taking away everybody I love, because I don't deserve to have them.

I've been disobeying my father by not doing as Grandpa Dinsmore bade me; and now maybe I haven't any father to obey! Oh, Max, Max, what shall I do?
everybody's being taken away!" "I'm left, Lu," he said, brushing away a tear; "I'm left to you, and you're left to me; and we don't know certainly yet, that anybody is really taken from us, or going to be." "Oh," she cried lifting her head, which had dropped upon his shoulder as he held her closely clasped in his arms, "I'll stop being so bad; I'll be good and do as Grandpa Dinsmore has ordered me, and maybe God will forgive me and spare papa and Gracie and the baby.

Do you think he will, Max ?" "Perhaps; you remember how ill papa was when you were obstinate and disobedient to him once before, and you gave up and did as he bade you, and we all prayed for papa and he got well ?" "Yes, oh yes, I'll do it now, this minute; I can't go to Viamede to tell Grandpa Dinsmore, but I'll write a little note, Max, and you can carry it to him." "I have a note-book in my pocket, pencil too," he said, pulling them out in haste to get the thing done, lest her mood should change.

"I'll tear out a leaf and you can write on that.