AN UNSUCCESSFUL ERRAND For what seemed a very long time to Kate Bonnet, Dickory Charter paddled bravely through the darkness.

She was relieved of the terror and the uncertainty which had fallen upon her during the past few hours, and she was grateful to the brave young fellow who had delivered her from the danger of sailing out upon the sea with a crew of wicked scoundrels who were about to steal her father's ship, and her heart should have beaten high with gratitude and joy, but it did not.

She was very cold, and she knew not whither young Dickory was taking her.

She did not believe that in all that darkness he could possibly know where he was going; at any moment that dreadful ship might loom up before them, and lights might be flashed down upon them.

But all of a sudden the canoe scraped, grounded, and stopped.
"What is that ?" she cried.
"It is our beach," said Dickory, and almost at that moment there came a call from the darkness beyond.
"Dickory!" cried a woman's voice, "is that you ?" "It is my mother," said the boy; "she has heard the scraping of my keel." Then he shouted back, "It is Dickory; please show me a light, mother!" Jumping out, Dickory pulled the canoe high up the shelving shore, and then he helped Kate to get out.