Janet McLaren | Page 7

bending over her. "If it had taken you away, I could na have lived to
come home and see the poor boys breaking their hearts, and they would
have had no one left to care for them. But our God is kind and merciful,
and we maun lift up our hearts to Him in praise and thanksgiving."
"I will try to do so, dear Janet, though I feel that I cannot be grateful
enough to Him," said Margaret, in a faint voice, and comprehending
perhaps now far more than before, from the unusual agitation of her
nurse, the fearful peril through which she had been preserved. "And,
Janet," she added, in a whisper, "I should like to thank, with my whole
heart, the brave boy who swam out to me and brought me safely on

shore. I remember seeing him running along the rocks and coming
towards me, and then I felt sure I was safe."
"Yes, we will thank him. If I had to live a hundred years, I would thank
him to the end of my days," exclaimed Janet. "But his parents are rich
people, and a poor body like me can give him ne'er more than empty
thanks."
"But if they come from the bottom of our hearts he'll prize them,"
observed Margaret. "And do ye ken who he is?"
"Ay, that I do--he is Donald's class-mate, no other than Alec Galbraith,
your brother is always talking about."
"Oh, I am so glad," exclaimed Margaret. "I can believe all Donald says
of him. I must go with you and thank him too, and I will never more be
jealous though he keeps at the head of the class, and Donald is only
second. He must be as brave as he is clever, or he would not have
risked his life to save that of a poor little stranger girl like me, and then
to have gone away without even stopping to be thanked."
Janet guessed that young Galbraith was not likely at that time to be
found at his house, and indeed Margaret was not fit to go out again at
present. She therefore waited till the boys came home in the evening
from school. They had heard nothing of what had occurred. All they
knew was, that Alec Galbraith had come later than usual to school, that
the master had received his excuse's, and that he had performed his
tasks with even more than his ordinary ability. They listened with
panting breath to the account Janet gave of the occurrence.
"Bless him," cried Donald, "I will never again try to take him down. I
would rather he had done it than any other fellow in the school."
"I will give him all my prizes, and pray for him as long as I live,"
exclaimed David.
Janet thought Margaret sufficiently recovered in the evening to venture
out. "We must go with you," exclaimed Donald. "I want to take

Galbraith by the hand, and tell him all I feel."
The party set off--Janet, as usual, taking her knitting as she quitted her
wheel, from which her active fingers had been spinning yarn even
while the conversation above described had been going on. Margaret
was rather pale, and somewhat weak, but her sturdy brothers supported
her on either side. Though she was eager to thank Alec Galbraith, she
felt somewhat timid at the thoughts of encountering him and his
parents.
"I know Alec well enough to be sure that he will make light of the
matter," observed Donald. "He will tell you that he ran no danger, and
enjoyed the swim. But that must not make us less grateful to him. I do
not know what sort of people his parents are--perhaps high and mighty,
and may be angry with you for placing their son in danger. However, I
don't care what they say; nothing shall make any difference in my
feelings towards Alec."
"Nor in mine either," whispered Margaret.
"Nor in mine," said David. "I only wish that I had more to offer him,
not that I can ever pay him, but just to show my love and gratitude."
Would that people were as grateful to God for the benefits daily
received, and above all, to Jesus, for the great salvation He has wrought
for us, as these young people were to the brave boy who had risked his
life to save that of little Margaret.
The above conversation took place as they approached the handsome
residence of Mr Galbraith. Alec had seen them. He ran out to meet his
friends. "I am so glad you have come, Donald. My mother wants to
know you--for I have often told her about you, and how hard you
pressed me in the class. And is this little girl your sister? Why!" and