HE

HIS EYES RESTED ON HIS NEW MASTER.

CHAPTER I.

E was manly, and plucky, and clever, and cheerful, but he was a cripple. His bright, beautiful soul was imprisoned in the wearisome body of a hunchback, and the burden of it seemed sometimes too heavy for him to bear. But Hugh only whispered this into his father's ear when he came to say good-night, and found the boy's pillow blotted with tears. And then together they took the burden and laid it at the feet of Christ, in those simple boyish prayers which Hugh had been taught by his father on earth to continually offer to his Father in heaven.

"You see, father," he said in one of those evening talks, "what I mind so dreadfully about my burden is that it always shows. Of course other fellows have their burdens to carry, but I guess that sometimes they can lay them down just for a little rest, but mine is always strapped on my back."

"The heavier the load the greater the love," answered his father tenderly, stroking the boy's ruffled hair, "and you know, Hugh, the more help you need the more you can have."

"I'll keep having to get more then. I don't mind my burden much, father, when your arm is round me like to-night, and I am just lying still. But to-morrow when I'm out and alone it'll be awfully heavy again."

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'My boy, don't forget that the Everlasting Arms are always round you, and that you are never alone. To-morrow is a great day for youyour twelfth birthday, and the first day of your school life. Let it be a great day in the highest sense-a day in which you have walked with God."

"I'll try. But will the fellows say anything, do you think?" Hugh added with a little tremor in his voice.

"My son, there are coarse and cruel boys at most schools-I cannot promise you that there will be none at yours-but very soon, Hughie, most of your school-fellows will think of you as yourself, and if you are true, and brave, and pure in heart-which, pray God, you may ever be!-you will win and hold your place in their affections, and in the life of your school."

"I wish it did not show!" said the boy wistfully. But then with kindling eyes :-"I want to do great things, in spite of my burden." "Through Christ Which strengtheneth you," added his father earnestly.

The next day was Hugh's birthday. It was great fun at breakfast opening his letters and parcels. A watch and chain from his parents, and a funny little heap of things from the nursery, for the little ones had long saved their pennies to buy something for "Brofer Hughie's birfday."

"Another book from Uncle Edward! And oh! what a splendid knife!" exclaimed Hugh as he tore off the papers.

He looked so bright and happy this morning that it was difficult to remember those tears last night. But as Mrs. Wyndham watched her darling's face her eyes were dimmed with thankfulness in the remembrance of that solemn and sacred time upstairs when Hugh had gone into his parents' room and knelt with them in holy dedication of this new year of life to God.

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"I'm awfully excited about school," said the boy, when the presents had all been inspected. And it'll be so jolly coming home every night to tell you and father all about it! I am so glad I am a day boy! It was a splendid thought our all coming to live here so that I could go to the school."

“We must start at a quarter to nine," his father reminded him. And his mother waved them out of sight from the front door, while a bunch of babies flattened their fat faces against the nursery window in their eagerness to see their big brother start.

The head-master spoke very kindly to Hugh. There was something so touching in the sight of this deformed boy with his bright, pale face, and in the thought of how heavily he was handicapped in the race of life.

His attainments proved to be decidedly above the average, for Mr. Wyndham had himself carefully taught Hugh, and he was naturally a clever boy, so he was relegated to the shell-the form between the fourth and fifth, and sent there with a note from Dr. Bevan.

It was rather an ordeal this-going alone into the classroom where the boys were already assembled-but Hugh had learned to be brave in a life-long school of suffering; and as he paused a minute before knocking he offered up a simple prayer that Christ would be with him. Many boys are taught to pray God to be with them throughout their schooldays, but Hugh had a dearer, closer faith than this. He asked God to be with him in the schoolroom on this particular day for this particular need, and the prayer was answered.

As Hugh went up to the desk his eyes rested on the kind pitying face of his new master, and he did not see the staring surprise of the boys behind him. He answered a few questions fearlessly, and then as he went to the seat indicated, a nice-looking, biggish boy smiled at him and whispered :

"All right, little 'un, I'll stick up for you

It would have astonished that boy if he had been told that his kindly words were a gift from God to him, and from him to Hugh; for he only felt a spasm of pity for the little deformed new boy-he who was so tall and straight and strong, and he just spoke out as he always did. So things seem to us who live and move, but how differently to God in Whom we have our being.

Hugh's face lit up with his beautiful smile. "Thanks awfully!" he whispered back. "May I look over your book for this lesson?"

So the friendship began between two such different boys-Charley Coates, the captain of the second eleven, and Hugh Wyndham the hunchback.

When the form was called up to construe, Hugh did very well. He spoke clearly and seemed so eager about it all that one or two of the boys smiled in a superior but gentle spirit.

"Poor little chap!" they would have said if the master had not been there; and they did not grudge him the places he went up or the marks he gained. It seemed to them so dreadful that he could only be a success in school-could make no runs, or jump no height, or indeed do well in any game, to take his part in their sunny world of athletics.

Charley Coates took him under his wing when school was over, and even those boys who were insensible to the higher touch of pity and tenderness which the sight of Hugh evoked, yet did not choose to fall foul of so

"I may be a poor one to look at, but I'll try and be a good one to go," he said smiling, after a moment's hesitation.

"I felt my burden rather badly just then," he told his father that evening, "but of course I wouldn't let Coates see I was vexed. He was so awfully good to me all day, and lots of the other fellows too."

"That's right, my boy. Bear up bravely even if you can't forget your burden."

"No, I can never forget it," said Hugh thoughtfully, “even if nobody ever spoke of it again. But then you know, father, it's more of a cross to carry for Christ when I remember. I always try to think of that about it, and it makes me somehow proud and glad that I have such a difficult thing to do for Him. If I don't think of that quickly I feel horrid and impatient."

Your burden is like a big parcel, Hugh, wrapped up all together-pain, and heaviness, and weariness, and perhaps impatience, but there is a jewel in the parcel too, my son, the jewel that belongs to a self-sacrificing spirit. Do you understand me?"

"Oh yes, father. And some day when I leave the burden on earth I'll take the jewel to Heaven."

"Yes, Hugh. Our best and brightest we shall count as nothing there, in the presence of our Lord and Saviour. But the utmost we can bring we shall long to offer in that day when He maketh up His jewels," added his father gently.

CHAPTER II.

The

HUGH's intimacy with Charley Coates grew apace. big boy, who was a boarder, would run down to meet the little day boy, and many were the friendly pushes which he gave him up the ladder of school life. They often sat together too in form, for Hugh easily kept up with older boys in lesson time; and the little cripple was wonderfully fascinated by the tall cricketer. There was something very sunny in Charley's appearance-his golden hair and bright blue eyes—the glow of health on his cheeks, and the merry mischievous smile that always seemed ready to break out-and it attracted Hugh in contrast to his own deep, dark eyes and white cameo face.

"He is so splendid, mother!" exclaimed Hugh one day at dinner. And they had no need to ask who was Hugh's "he." "He made forty at the match yesterday and thirty-eight at the one before."

"Yes, he is a fine boy," answered Mrs. Wyndham rather absently. She wished so deeply that Hugh could have only a little of Charley's superfluous health.

"And what do you think? Father, guess. I am so excited!" continued Hugh with flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes. And before Mr. Wyndham could

answer :

"He says I can learn to play cricket. He will teach

me, and then when I get into one of the junior elevens, another chap can run for me, and I can play like other fellows!"

His father joined sympathetically in Hugh's enthusiasm, and no one heard the sob that rose in his mother's throat.

The next day Hugh's lessons in cricket began. Charley came home with him to tea, and bowled him slow easy balls for an hour afterwards. Such a bright, beautiful evening it was, and so full of joy to Hugh, as he peeped into the new world of school games, which he thought had been shut to him for ever.

"Not half bad for a beginner!" Charley told him encouragingly.

"God bless you for being so good to my boy!" murmured Mrs. Wyndham as he wished her good-night. "It's all right," stammered the young cricketer, growing crimson. "He's such a plucky little chap, you see!

But somehow her words kept beating in on Coates's work that night; and when the dormitories lay dark and still he whispered them over to himself.

"I don't deserve that blessing," he thought. "I'm not a bit a good boy like Hugh is, and I forget my prayers, and laugh in chapel, and do heaps of wicked things; but I just can't help being kind to the little chap!"

It was the day of Hugh's first match—a little insignificant match between the juniors of two houses-and of course his father and mother had promised to be there. There were no other house-matches on that day, and Charley had said that he would come down to see Hugh play, which put the juniors in a flurry of consternation at so great a condescension on the part of the captain of the Second Eleven.

But what a day to Hugh! His pride in his fresh white flannels; his joy in the new bat his father gave him; his delight in going into the nursery and bragging innocently to nurse and the little ones of "our housematch." It was all so glorious to the boy and so touching to his parents, as they entered into Hugh's happiness and thanked God for giving their cripple son this new joy.

"Come along, we shall be late!" cried Hugh excitedly as he hurried his parents to the field a full half-hour too soon. "I say, get some chairs, you fellows. My people have come to see the match," he added proudly. And then, oh, increasing honours! the rival house-masters and their wives joined the circle, and Hugh's form-master strolled down to see the little hunchback play-for without knowing it the boy was the centre of interest in the match. The clock struck, the boys crowded round, and the great little match began.

The other side went in first, but the real fun began to Hugh when he sat at his father's feet waiting to be called for his own innings.

"Isn't it all lovely?" he said looking up brightly. "Do you think we'll win, father?"

"Yes, darling, I do. Forty-six is not a very formidable score."

"Dear little fellow," said one of the masters' wives, "I am so sorry for him! It is very sad!"

"He is a good boy," answered his form-master, "and has a straight soul in his poor crooked body. I think it is sadder to see the straight bodies and the crooked souls, and it is a far commoner sight in a big school like this." And Hugh did well. The boy who ran for him had plenty to do, and the ringing cheers of his school-fellows showed that most of them had a tender spot in their common-place, hard young hearts for the little hunchback. The score slowly mounted up, and when a smart catch checked Hugh's career he had got well into the double figures.

"Bravo, my boy!" said his father. And Hugh forgot all about his new school dignity in his excitement and kissed his mother as he leaned against her chair.

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Beastly young blub-baby!" exclaimed a jealous junior who had not broken his duck's egg; but a sharp box on the ear from Coates quickly silenced him into nothing more explicit than a series of scornful grunts.

The second innings were even more exciting. The other house had made a fair score, and as the numbers crept up, the excitement increased. The best players went in first, and when at last it came to Hugh's turn there were left only ten to tie and eleven to win, with a wicket to spare, which saved the boy from the too awful responsibility.

"The young 'un might do it himself," said Coates to another second eleven swell.

Anyhow, with the two kids it'll be safe."

A shout of applause indicated that Hugh, after steadily blocking several balls, had made one for the boy who was running. The shouting increased with the score, but Hugh now stood cool and calm at the wickets. He had had too long a training in the school of suffering to lose his head when actually at the post of duty-for the joyful excitement of the first innings had settled down into an earnest enthusiasm for the duty of doing his best. Only in a game, it is true, but Hugh had been taught that one's best is always one's duty, and he did it. "One to tie and two to win!" yelled the boys. And then

"A tie! Only one to win!" "He's done it! Hurrah!"

So Hugh won the match and carried his bat amid a storm of applause and congratulations.

"Father, dear," he whispered as he lay resting in Mr. Wyndham's arms that night, "I prayed I might do well in the match, in spite of my burden. It wasn't wrong to pray about cricket, was it?"

"No, my son. It was quite natural and right. And will you be surprised if I tell you that I prayed about it too?"

"You, father!" exclaimed Hugh amazed.

"Yes, darling. I pray about your pain and why not about your pleasure? For God is your Father too, you know, dear. And He understands all about you far better than I can. So I asked Him to help you to succeed to-day. And that is what God is so ready to do -to help people to succeed, in spite of their burdens, if only they truly try."

"I guess there are a lot of prayers wrapped up in my burden bundle."

"Yes, my boy, and many answers to those prayers as well."

"That would be splendid!" exclaimed Charley, who was an athlete born and bred.

"The juniors are the weakest. You make them sit up a bit, and we'll do!"

"All right!" said Coates eagerly.

And so he drifted away from his little friend, and Hugh mourned in secret, though he explained to them at home that of course the coming sports accounted for Charley's continued absence.

And the hard-hearted jealous juniors were quick to take advantage of this state of things, and to probe Hugh's wound until it grew almost unbearable. If he had not learned so young to suffer, he would have quite broken down.

"Your fine flash friend has chucked you at last," said one of the base little tyrants.

Hugh's pale face flushed.

"You can't take any interest in the sports, you know," piped in another, "and Coates only cares for that sort of thing."

"I do take an interest in the sports," retorted Hugh indignantly.

"Yah! A fine sort of interest you can take!" sneered somebody else.

"Perhaps you're going in for a race, or is it the high jump?" echoed a little wretch contemptuously.

"Coates is training me for the two-hundred-and-fifty. He's awfully pleased when I better my time!" said another as Hugh stood silent.

These cruel youngsters had got their chance at last, and meant to pay off several old scores now Coates's championship was withdrawn.

It was very hard to bear-these taunts and sneersand the hardest thing of all was that Hugh believed them deep down in his sensitive soul. He knew that Coates had forgotten him because he could take no part in the great athletic contests, and a bitter cry went up from the boy's heart-"My burden is too heavy!"

The small coarse-grained schoolboys had no pity, and they continued to play their cruel game. The set, white face of the hunchback and his tightly-drawn lips seemed only to incite them to fresh tortures.

But they were mistaken. Hugh could rule his spirit, which we know "is greater than taking a city."

At length the hubbub became so extreme, in the midst of which Hugh stood white and still, that a passing monitor interfered, and the boy escaped from his tormentors.

His parents noticed his sad face, but they wisely waited for their child's confidence, and it was not long before Mr. Wyndham received it.

"Oh, father, I could bear it all, if it wasn't that Charley has thrown me over too!"

"Perhaps he is really too busy getting up these sports, my boy?"

"Oh, no; that is all right! Of course, Charley must see to them. But you see, father, he is mad for his house to carry off more prizes than any other, and—and I can't do anything, you know!" with a little sob.

"I didn't mean to. I try to be brave when some of the fellows are rather brutes to me and I can bear that, if only-oh, father!—if only I didn't know that Charley likes the boys who can run and jump and win prizes better than me!"

But though his father did his utmost to help and comfort him, Hugh's face still looked sad, and his usually high spirits flagged utterly.

The school was absorbed in the coming sports, and the little hunchback felt strangely out of it as the boys rushed off to practise their various feats on every possible opportunity. One of those horrid juniors ran so well in the trials that Coates praised and coached him enthusiastically, and though Hugh's was far too noble a nature to be jealous of this, he did so wish that he could do something to please Charley too, and win laurels for his house.

Now Coates did not really mean to be unkind. In the athletic excitement he only forgot; and Hugh hid his sorrow down so deep in his brave little heart, and smiled so brightly when Charley by chance spoke to him, that the big boy carelessly decided that the small one was all right, and perhaps the better for not being so much molly-coddled.

The athletic sports went off most successfully. Coates won more prizes than any other boy, and his house than any of the others. Hugh shouted himself hoarse at Charley's triumphs, but he kept so close to his father's side that Mr. Wyndham knew he was feeling very acutely his own trouble.

And after the sports Charley received so much praise from the greater schoolboy magnates, together with the coveted place in the first eleven, that his young head was completely turned, and, alas, he felt just a bit ashamed of his former friendship with the little hunchback.

So the sunshine of the summer term faded out of Hugh's sight.

"It was wrong, father, what you thought about my burden teaching Charley," said the boy sadly. "I might have helped him if I had been big and strong and good at games. But he rather despises me now because of it. And, do you know, I guess he rather thinks of being good as only just for little chaps who are cripples like me."

"He is not the first boy who has made that mistake, Hughie. But we will pray that Charley may learn to love what is right and to do it."

"I did used to pray that I might help him, for he has helped me so much. But I think I will leave that bit out now," he added mournfully.

"I wouldn't, my boy. Pray on and hope and trust, for if we are truly anxious to help each other heavenward I think God will shew us the way."

CHAPTER IV.

THE following morning a messenger came down from the school post haste for Hugh.

"Master Coates has had an accident, sir," he explained to Mr. Wyndham, "climbing out on to the roof against rules, and he fell and is badly hurt. And the nurse says he has kep' on all night for Master Wyndham."