Ishmael laughed, and for a moment entertained the thought of admitting this plea and letting the pleader go.  But Ishmael was really too conscientious to suffer himself to be lured aside from the strict line of duty by any passing fancy or caprice; so he answered: 

“Your plea is an ingenious one, Eddy; and since you have wit enough to make it, you must have sense enough to learn your lesson.  Come, now, let us sit down and put our heads together, and try again, and see what we can do.”

And with the kindness for which he was ever noted, the young master sat down beside his stupid pupil and patiently went over and over the lesson with him, until he had succeeded in getting it into Eddy’s thick head.

“There, now! now you know the difference between a common noun and a proper one! are you not glad?” asked Ishmael, smiling.

“Yes; but they’ll all be done supper, and the hominy’ll be cold!” said the boy sulkily.

“Oh, no, it will not.  I know all about the boiling of hominy.  They’ll keep the pot hanging over the fire until bed-time, so you can have yours hot as soon as you get home.  Off with you, now!” laughed Ishmael.

His hopeful pupil lost no time in obeying the order, but set off on a run.

Ishmael arranged his books, closed up his schoolroom, and started to walk home.

There he delighted Hannah with the news that her former friend and patron, Mrs. Middleton, was soon expected at Rushy Shore.  And he interested both Reuben and Hannah with the description of beautiful Bee’s visit to the school.

“I wonder why he couldn’t have fallen in love with her?” thought Hannah.

CHAPTER XLIX.

STILL ONWARD.

  His, all the mighty movements
    That urge the hero’s breast,
  The longings and the lovings,
    The spirit’s glad unrest,
  That scorns excuse to tender,
    Or fortune’s favor ask,
  That never will surrender
    Whatever be the task!

  —­M.F.  Tupper.

Beatrice did not come again to the schoolroom to see Ishmael.  The memory of old school-day friendship, as well as the prompting of hospitality and benevolence, had brought her there on her first visit.  She had not thought of the lapse of time, or the change that two years must have made in him as well as in herself, and so, where she expected to find a mere youth, she found a young man; and maiden delicacy restrained her from repeating her visit.

On Thursday\morning, however, as Ishmael was opening his schoolroom he heard a brisk step approaching, and Mr. Middleton was at his side.  Their hands flew into each other and shook mutually before either spoke.  Then, with beaming eyes and hearty tones, both exclaimed at once: 

“I am so glad to see you!”

“Of course you arrived last night!  I hope you had a pleasant journey, and that Mrs. Middleton has recovered her fatigue,” said Ishmael, placing a chair for his visitor.