brought back from a
far off land. Surely, if they did their duty, he need never stray far
away. That was the way they reasoned; and although, of course, little
Bert knew nothing about it, that was the plan upon which they sought to
bring him up. The task was not altogether an easy one, as succeeding
chapters of Bert's history will make plain. But the plan was adhered to,
and the result justified its wisdom.

CHAPTER IV.

OFF TO THE COUNTRY.

The letter which came in such good time to relieve Mrs. Lloyd from the
difficulty about Bert's fondness for the guardroom and its hurtful
influences, was from her father, and contained an invitation so pressing
as to be little short of a demand, for her to pay him a long visit at
the old homestead, bringing Bert with her.

Mrs. Lloyd very readily and gladly accepted the invitation. Midsummer
was near at hand. She had not visited her old home for some years. Her
father and mother were ageing fast; and then, naturally enough, she was
eager to show them what a fine boy Bert was growing to be.

When Bert heard of it he showed the utmost delight. Three years before,
he had spent a summer at grandfather's; but, then, of course, he was too
young to do more than be impressed by the novelty of his surroundings.
The huge oxen, the noisy pigs, the spirited horses, even the clumsy
little calves, bewildered, if they did not alarm him. But now he felt
old enough to enjoy them all; and the very idea of going back to them
filled him with joy, to which he gave expression after his own
boisterous fashion.

"Mother, are we going to grandfather's to-morrow?" he would eagerly ask,
day after day, his little heart throbbing with impatience.

"We're going soon, Bert dear. You must be patient, you know," his mother
would gently reply; and the little fellow would make a very heroic
effort to control himself.

At length the day of departure arrived. Too full of importance and great
expectations to manifest a proper amount of sorrow at leaving his father
and sister, who felt very reluctant, indeed, to part with him, Master
Bert took his place in the cab and drove up to the railway station.
Hardly had he entered it than he made a dash for the train, climbed up
on the rear platform with the agility of a monkey, much to the amusement
of the conductor, whose proffer of assistance he entirely ignored; and
when Mr. Lloyd entered the train a minute later, he found his
enterprising son seated comfort