"And it is thus you have been passing your time," exclaimed Alfred, "when some of my thoughtless young friends below fancied you might be drinking or smoking while you were watching your fire. Happy man! These solitudes are no solitudes to you. How far more profitably, how far more pleasantly, are you employed than the greater number of those who live in the world! I must entreat you to pardon my having intruded upon you, I am ashamed to say, from a motive of mere curiosity. But see how God often causes even our follies and weaknesses to turn out to our profit. I have learned a lesson that I trust, by His grace, I shall never forget. It has taught me that every godly man has a part assigned to him for others as well as for himself, to show forth the great salvation that Christ brought upon earth. You are diligently fulfilling your part. You have prayed for work, and our great Master has mercifully provided it for you. You are laying up treasure for yourself in heaven, while many of those who would be inclined to pity your worldly position are wasting their lives in idleness and sin, neglecting the work they might do, and burying in the earth the talent committed to their charge. Numbers there are in the world who are attempting to secure to themselves a memorial among posterity, by erecting hospitals and schools, while you are consecrating this little hovel to God in a way that might never have been known in this world, but which will not be forgotten by the Lord 'in the day when He maketh up His jewels.'" As he said this, Alfred cast his eyes round the hut, and fixed them upon an open chest which stood in one corner, supported upon one or two short beams of wood, to preserve the contents from the damp. "You are not unprovided with books, I see, besides those that lie on the table." "We have indeed a little library there, sir," replied Gervais. "It is very small, but quite equal to our wants. You would find there 'The Histories of the Old and New Testaments,' 'The Imitation of Jesus Christ,' 'The History of France,' 'Robinson Crusoe,' and a few others. Would you like to look at the writing of these boys, sir?" Alfred examined some copy-books lying on the table, and could not help expressing his surprise at the progress the lads appeared to have made in three short months. Then, looking at his watch, he said-- "I fear I have overstayed my time, but before I go I have yet a duty to perform. While I congratulate you most sincerely on the success with which God seems to have blessed your endeavours in behalf of these destitute youths, I must add that the interest which the idea of your isolated situation excited among the party I left in the plain below was such that they said I ought not, without some good reason, to intrude upon you, and desired me to bring this little offering to you, begging of you to accept it, in token of their good-will."