The Book of One Syllable | Page 8

ropes there, at a time when the berths in that room were not in use. The place was not quite dark--there were small holes on the deck of that part of the ship, which let in light and air.
When Saib found that the looks of Mr. and Mrs. Bright were kind, hope took the place of fear, and, by signs and such words as he could speak, he made known his wish that they would let him stay where he had been, till the ship came to shore.
Mr. and Mrs. Bright felt so much grief for the state the poor boy was in, that they each had a strong wish to save him from all chance of more pain, and they knew that the best way to do this would be to buy him from Mr. Stone.
They made this wish known to Saib, and who could have seen the gleam of joy shed on the face of Saib, when he knew what Mr. and Mrs. Bright meant to do--who could have seen it, and not have felt joy too?
Mr. Stone, as has been said, was a hard man, and Mr. Bright had to fear that he might be in such a rage at what Saib had done, that he would not sell him.
Yet, though Mr. Stone was a hard man, he was a man who had so great a wish to be a rich man, that he could not say no, when there was gain in his way; and though he was at first in a great rage, the sum Mr. Bright said he would give for Saib was so large a one, that Mr. Stone did not say no.
What was the joy of poor Saib when told he should be free!--what was the joy of poor Saib when he found how much thought and care Mr. and Mrs. Bright had for him!
They took Saib with them to their own home, and had him taught all things that could be of use to him in the new state in which he now was.
Saib is now more than twelve years old; he has learnt to read, to write, to speak the truth, to try to be calm when rude boys tease him, and to feel grief when he has done wrong. To love his kind friends he has not to learn--his heart bids him do that.
He feels all that Mrs. Bright has done for him--he hopes he may not grieve her or Mr. Bright, but that he may be to them as a good son.--Then they will not part with him; then they will be paid back for all that they have done.
The thought of such a great and good deed must make them glad in this world, and bring them joy in the next.

THE EARTH.
The world we live on is a large round ball, made of all kinds of rocks and of earths; and on a great part of it there are seas and lakes. The earth turns round each day, and goes round the sun once each year. In the day, that part of the world where we live points to the sun, and when the earth turns from the sun, it is night.
When the earth goes round the sun, the heat at one part of the year comes from the sun more straight to that part where we live, and makes the days hot and long, and the nights short, as in June; and when the light and heat do not come to us so straight, there are cold and frost and long nights.
In some parts of the world it is much more cold than where we live. There are parts, too, where the sun is more hot at all times of the year than we feel it. It is the heat of the sun that makes the winds. His heat on the sea makes the clouds.
The clouds rise in the air and fly to the land, where they fall in rain, and make plants and trees grow, and the brooks and springs flow.
The sea is salt, but the heat does not take up the salt in the fogs and clouds; so that the rain is quite pure, and makes springs for us to drink from.

A FALL FROM THE CLIFFS.
George Crisp was a good boy; he was kind to those he knew, and could not bear to have a thing that they had not.
He was glad when he could give things, and he gave a great deal to the poor that came to the house, so that his stock of cash was at a low ebb.
Though George might have set his mind on some toy, he felt glad to think that the pence which would have bought it had been of more use to some one else.
But though