y-and-by; and I shall be
glad to hear yours," said Percy, as they cordially shook hands. "Come
in. I want to introduce you to my mother and sisters. I have been
talking to them about you, so that they will not look upon you as a
stranger."

Crawford was soon made at home. Mrs Broderick liked his looks, and the
young ladies thought him very agreeable.

In a short time, Rupert, who had taken Percy's place on the platform,
came down with the information that the Zulus, who had attempted to cut
off the horsemen, had retired to their camp. It was uncertain what
their intentions had been; but Captain Broderick believed that they were
hostile.

Crawford said that Hendricks intended to travel by slow stages, so as to
allow Denis and Umgolo quickly to overtake him. He was, indeed, unable
to move fast, as he had lost several of his oxen, and had not hitherto
replaced them, though he hoped to do so shortly. The Zulus had shown a
less friendly disposition than formerly, and this also made him anxious
to get out of their country as soon as possible.

The message from Hendricks to him much perplexed Denis. He wished to
accompany him in the search of his father; but he was unwilling to
desert his new friends at a time when they were placed in danger, and
required all the assistance to be obtained; besides which, he had become
attached to Percy, and was greatly interested in the whole family.

The young ladies he thought charming, superior to any he had ever met
before. His interest in the family was still further increased when the
Captain and Mrs Broderick begged him to give an account of the finding
of Lionel. Next to Hendricks, he was better able to do this than any
other person; and on their telling him that they had lost a child, whom
they had hitherto thought had been destroyed with his nurse, and who
would now be about the same age that Lionel was supposed to be, he
exclaimed, in his usual impulsive manner--

"Then I am ready to stake anything that Lionel is your son. He has the
same look and features as Miss Maud, more ruddy to be sure. Though I
never thought him much like Percy, he greatly resembles Rupert, and he
has often told me he remembers his mother, and the tall gentleman he
supposed to be his father, who there can be no doubt must be Captain
Broderick."

Captain and Mrs Broderick were as fully persuaded that Lionel was their
son, as Denis. How they longed to see him, and to thank Hendricks for
th