visited by strange dreams, significant of the future. Poor Mrs. Gum
carried these dreams to an excess; that is, she was always having them
and always talking about them. It had been no wonder, with her mind in so
miserable a state regarding her son, that her dreams in that first
twelve-month had generally been of him and generally bad. The above
question, put by her husband, somewhat puzzled her. Her dreams _had_
foreshadowed great evil still to Willy; and her dreams had never been
wrong yet.

But, in the enjoyment of positive good, who thinks of dreams? No one. And
Mrs. Gum's grew a shade brighter, and hope again took possession of her
heart.

Two years rolled on, during which they heard twice from Willy;
satisfactory letters still, in a way. Both testified to his "jolly"
state: he was growing rich, though not quite so rapidly as he had
anticipated; a fellow had to spend so much! Every day he expected to pick
up a nugget which would crown his fortune. He complained in these letters
that he did not hear from home; not once had news reached him; had his
father and mother abandoned him?

The question brought forth a gush of tears from Mrs. Gum, and a sharp
abuse of the post-office. The clerk took the news philosophically,
remarking that the wonder would have been had Willy received the letters,
seeing that he seemed to move about incessantly from place to place.

Close upon this came another letter, written apparently in haste. Willy's
"fortune" had turned into reality at last; he was coming home with more
gold than he could count; had taken his berth in the good ship _Morning
Star_, and should come off at once to Calne, when the ship reached