278 FAREWELL TO FLIPPY. 



"Your case is an exception to the general rule," said 

 Lawrence. 



" I think there are a great many exceptions," said John. 



" I think so too," replied Lawrence ; " indeed, it would 

 not be a good specimen of a general rule if there were not 

 a great many exceptions." 



" Look ! look ! Lawrence," said John, suddenly interrupt- 

 ing and pointing toward the pier ; " there comes Flippy !" 



It was indeed Flippy. He was coming down the pier 

 with a parcel in his hand. John ran to meet him. 



In a few minutes he returned, bringing Flippy to the 

 place where Lawrence was sitting. Flippy placed his par- 

 cel in Lawrence's hands, saying at the same time, 



" There is something for you ; but you must not open it 

 until you get home." 



"Is it a present for me from you ?" asked Lawrence. 



"Yes," replied Flippy; "though my father gave me the 

 money to buy it, because you were so kind to me and 

 taught me so much while we were on the voyage. And I 

 want to go home with you now," he continued, " to where 

 you live." 



" Oh no !" rejoined Lawrence ; " it is too far ; it is more 

 than two hundred miles from here." 



" No matter for that," said Flippy ; " I can write back to 

 my father at the first place where we stop, and he will 

 send me some money. He won't care, so long as he knows 

 that I am witli you." 



" But your mother would care," replied Lawrence ; " she 

 would be very anxious and very much worried about you." 



" No matter," said Flippy. " She would find out after a 

 while that I was all right." 



Lawrence replied that, though his mother might find out 

 that he was all right, as he called it, in the end, she would 

 endure a great deal of suffering in the mean time through 



