"Poor little boy; he's too young to miss his mother yet, but I fear she
may be in a terrible state of fear for him if she be living, poor soul. We
must not think of ourselves, little son. We must think first of others.
We must send word ashore about the little boy, and the police will do all
they can to find out who he is. I can't but think he was washed off yon
great steamer that was labouring past us that stormy night; and both Jim
and your father think and hope that she weathered her way round the point,
and reached harbour safely. If that is so, we shall soon hear who little
Prince Rupert really is, and his parents or friends will send for him.
That will be best of all; for this would be a poor sort of a home for him
to be brought up in. He's plainly been used to something very different.
Princes don't live in places like this, my little son."
"No, I suppose not," answered Pat wistfully, "but I would have tried to
make him so very happy!"
"Well, make him as happy as you can whilst he is here. May be it will be
for a good spell yet. And never mind what happens afterwards. You will
always like to think you made his visit to the lighthouse a pleasant one."
So Pat set himself with all his heart to the task of entertaining the
little prince thus wonderfully cast upon his hands. It was not difficult
to do this, for the wee boy was the merriest of little mortals, and took
an immense liking to Pat from the very first. Very soon Pat began to
understand his lisping prattle perfectly, and was delighted with his
sharp observation, and little airs of baby importance and mastery. It was
very plain that Prince Rupert had been used to plenty of attention and
petting. He demanded both as a natural right, and soon had the submissive
Pat completely under his yoke. Pat was to sit by him when he had his
bath, so that he could splash him all over with the water, crowing with
mischievous delight all the while. Pat was to come into the inner room,
and see him go to bed, and sit beside him and tell him a tale; and of
course Pat was enchanted to do this, and would have told him tales till
midnight, had not his little tyrant speedily gone off to sleep, holding
him fast by the hand. Pat never thought of taking his hand away. He
would have sat by the little bed all night sooner than disturb his small
majesty; but his mother came in and unclasped the chubby fingers, whilst
she tucked the little stranger warmly up in his cot; and then Pat found
that he was rather stiff and cramped, though he hardly knew then how to
tear himself from the side of his new playmate.
"Isn't he beautiful, mother?" he whispered softly, as he stooped to kiss
the little rose-leaf face. "Oh, mother, it must have been Jesus who sent
Jim to fetch him out of the sea."
"Yes, Pat, dear, I think it must have been. Dear, bonny little lamb--he's
one of the dear Lord's own little children."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account