o inquire about what had happened in
his absence.

"'The boy is sulking somewhere,' he thought, 'and when he is hungry he
will show himself;' and with this thought he went to the bottom of the
table; and they had all just seated themselves, when in walked Mr.
Evans.

"Miss Grizzy set up a shriek of wonder, and Stephen turned scarlet.

"Mr. Evans had set out with the intention of going to the Bishop, under
whom he and Mr. Low lived, to ask him about some little difficulty
which had arisen in the management of the parish, and to beg that
things might remain as they were, until more decided news could be got
of the loss of the ship.

"The worthy man was not thinking of himself, but of poor Bernard. He
had hardly gone ten miles of the thirty he had to go, when he met the
Bishop's coach, and had the opportunity of settling his business in a
few minutes. And what had he then to do but to stop at a little inn by
the wayside to refresh his horse, and go quietly home, much pleased by
the kindness of the Bishop?

"When he had, in a few words, explained how it happened that he was at
home so soon, he was preparing to sit down to dinner, when he missed
Bernard.

"'Where is Master Low?' he said, looking round. 'Where is Bernard,
sister? Stephen, where is the child?'

"There was a certain something in the flushed features and stammering
answers of Stephen which struck even the unsuspicious Mr. Evans, and
when he was once roused he could show great firmness. He insisted that
the little boy should appear; and when he did not answer to any call,
or to the repeated ringing of the bell, he ordered the dinner away.

"'No one in the house shall dine, sister Grizzy,' he said, 'till the
orphan is found. Mind what I say. Do you, boys, run in all directions;
let the women go also, and bring the poor child to me. You, Stephen,
have been quarrelling with him.'

"'Sir,' said Meekin, 'he struck Mr. Stephen.'

"'No, Master Meekin,' said the boy who was waiting at table, 'I did not
see as he did; nor Ben neither, and he was by.'

"'No matter now,' said Mr. Evans; 'be off, all of you, and bring the
child to me.'

"And Mr. Evans sat down, having no expectation but that Bernard would
be brought in, with the tear in his eye, but safe and sound, in a few
minutes. He waited alone, maybe a quarter of an hour, and then went
out, becoming more frightened every moment.

"There was a set of people, such as sell pottery, happening to pass up
th