“You will be troubled no more with Alfred Burghe or his weak brother; both boys left this morning; Alfred goes to the Military Academy at West Point; Ben to the Naval School at Annapolis; so you will be quite free from annoyance by them.”

Still Ishmael hung his head, and Mr. Middleton added: 

“And now, my young friend, do not let the recollection of that scapegrace’s words trouble you in the slightest degree.  Let me assure you, that no one who knows you, and whose good opinion is worth having, will ever esteem your personal merits less, upon account of—­” Mr. Middleton hesitated for a moment, and then said, very softly—­“your poor, unhappy mother.”

Ishmael sprang aside, and groaned as if he had received a stab; and then with a rush of emotion, and in an impassioned manner, he exclaimed: 

“My poor, unhappy mother!  Oh, sir, you have used the right words!  She was very poor and very unhappy! most unhappy; but not weak! not foolish! not guilty!  Oh, believe it, sir! believe it, Mr. Middleton!  For if you were to doubt it, I think my spirit would indeed be broken!  My poor, young mother, who went down to the grave when she was but little older than her son is now, was a pure, good, honorable woman.  She was, sir! she was! and I will prove it to the world some day, if Heaven only lets me live to do it!  Say you believe it, Mr. Middleton!  Oh, say you believe it!”

“I do believe it, my boy,” replied Mr. Middleton, entirely carried away by the powerful magnetism of Ishmael’s eager, earnest, impassioned manner.

“Heaven reward you, sir,” sighed the youth, subsiding into the modest calmness of his usual deportment.

“How do you intend to employ your holidays, Ishmael?” inquired his friend.

“By continuing my studies at home, sir,” replied the youth.

“I thought so!  Well, so that you do not overwork yourself, you are right to keep them up.  These very long vacations are made for the benefit of the careless and idle, and not for the earnest and industrious.  But, Ishmael, that little cot of yours is not the best place for your purpose; studies can scarcely be pursued favorably where household work is going on constantly; so I think you had better come here every day as usual, and read in the schoolroom.  Mr. Brown will be gone certainly; but I shall be at home, and ready to render you any assistance.”

“Oh, sir, how shall I thank you?” joyfully began Ishmael.

“By just making the best use of your opportunities to improve yourself, my lad,” smiled his friend, patting him on the shoulder.

“But, sir—­in the vacation—­it will give you trouble—­”

“It will afford me pleasure, Ishmael!  I hope you can take my word for that?”

“Oh, Mr. Middleton!  Indeed you—­how can I ever prove myself grateful enough?”

“By simply getting on as fast as you can, boy! as I told you before.  And let me tell you now, that there is good reason why you should now make the best possible use of your time; it may be short.”