courage never failed; his resolution never wavered; year after year he brought forward the subject, and, though he experienced eleven defeats in his endeavours to carry the measure, at last he triumphed. And the result was the termination of slavery in the British dominions in August 1834, and that, too, at a cost to the country of twenty millions of money as compensation to those who, at the time, were holders of property in slaves. All honour to Clarkson and Wilberforce, for theirs was a noble victory, a grand result of the unwavering, unflinching moral courage of those two moral heroes." "A thousand cheers for them, auntie!" cried Walter. Then turning to his brother, he added, "So you see, Amos, you must not lose heart; indeed, I know you won't. Things will come nicely round, as Harry said. My father, I am sure, will understand and appreciate you in time; and I shall have to erect a triumphal arch with flowers and evergreens over the front door, with this motto in letters of gold at the top, `Amos and moral courage for ever.'" "I don't know," said his brother rather sadly; "I trust things may come round as you say. But anyhow, I mean, with God's help, to persevere; and it is a great happiness for me to know that I have the sympathy of my dear aunt and brother." Not many days after this conversation, when the family were at breakfast, Mr Huntingdon asked Walter when the steeplechase was coming off. "Three weeks to-morrow, I believe," replied his son. "By-the-by, I think I ought to mention that Saunders wants me to be one of the riders." "You!" exclaimed his father in astonishment. "Yes, father; he says I am the best rider of my age anywhere round, and that I shall stand a good chance of coming in at the head of them." "Very likely that may be the opinion of Mr Robert Saunders," replied the squire; "but I can only say I wish you were not quite so friendly with that young man; you know it was he who led you into that scrape with poor Forester." "Ah, but, father, Bob wasn't to blame. You know I took the blame on myself, and that was putting it on the right shoulders. There's no harm in Bob; there are many worse fellows than he is." "But perhaps," said Miss Huntingdon, "he may not be a very desirable companion for all that." "Perhaps not, auntie.--Well, father, if you don't mind my riding this time, I'll try and keep a little more out of his way in future." "I think you had better, my boy; you are not likely to gain much either in reputation or pocket by the acquaintance. You know it was only the other day that he helped to let you in for losing a couple of sovereigns in that wretched affair on Marley Heath; and one of them was lost to about the biggest blackguard anywhere hereabouts. I think, my boy, it is quite time that you kept clear of such things."