George completes his task, and causes his working apparatus to vanish before ten o’clock; then, twining his arms around the beloved grandmother’s neck, he quietly whispers all the secret in her ear, and awaits her approval.

She suggests that he preserve it until the next evening, and then astonish the assembly by reading his extensive notes, the result of the last two hours’ labor.

George is delighted, and amuses himself with imagining Emma’s astonishment when he makes his grand display; and, with his mind vigorously engaged in picturing the pleasures of the surprise, he retires to rest.

Our young friends, Emma and George, were too sensible of the value of time to waste it in idleness or trifling pursuits; consequently, whenever you called at Mr. Wilton’s, you might be sure to find them occupied with some work, profitable either to themselves or their fellow-creatures; and Mrs. Wilton in her daily instructions had so combined practice with theory, that her pupils almost unconsciously imitated her in the paths of industry and perseverance, no longer feeling (as heretofore) the sad effects of procrastination; but “whatsoever their hands found to do, they did it with their might.”

Continually engaged, with no cares to harass, no troubles to distress them, their hours and days flew on the wings of hope,—­laden only with fond recollections of the past, glowing with the bright realities of the present, and wafting the perfume of a glorious future crowned with the everlasting garlands of love, joy, and peace.

There was not much time lost in arranging their books and papers on the evening of this meeting; but they were obliged to commence without waiting Mr. Barraud’s arrival, for the clock had struck seven, and their business admitted of no delay.

They were soon seated.  “Which way are we to get out of the British Channel?” was the first question.

MR. WILTON.  “There are two convenient ways for us to sail out of the Channel:  the one through the Straits of Dover into the German Ocean; the other past Land’s End, Cornwall, into the wide waters of the North Atlantic.  We will take the former direction, and anchor off Yarmouth while we examine into the wonders connected with this division of the mighty sea.”

CHARLES.  “The German Ocean is the eastern boundary of England, and many of our most beautiful streams fall into its waters.  I am not aware of the existence of any islands in this ocean; and the only fact I have to state concerning it is, that here the French first tried their strength with the English by sea.  This happened in the reign of King John, in the year 1213, and the account is as follows:—­’The French had previously obtained possession of Normandy, and thereby become a maritime power, which qualified them, as they thought, to contend with the English:  they intended, therefore, to seize the first opportunity of trying their skill; but the English were too sharp for them, and came upon