siderately retired to the bower behind the house.
What transpired at that strange interview no one can tell, for no one
was present except the kitten. That creature, having recovered from its
consternation, discovered, to its inexpressible joy, that, an enormous
jug having been smashed by Bounce along with the other things, the floor
was covered in part with a lakelet of rich cream. With almost closed
eyes, intermittent purring, quick-lapping tongue, and occasional
indications of a tendency to choke, that fortunate animal revelled in
this unexpected flood of delectation, and listened to the conversation;
but, not being gifted with the power of speech, it never divulged what
was said--at least, to human ears, though we are by no means sure that
it did not create a considerable amount of talk among the cat population
of the settlement.

Be this as it may, when the Wild Man at length opened the door, and
cried, "Come in, lads; it's all right!" they found the widow Marston
with confusion and happiness beaming on her countenance, and the Wild
Man himself in a condition that fully justified Bounce's suggestion that
they had better send for a strait-waistcoat or a pair of handcuffs. As
for March, he had all along been, and still was, speechless. That the
Wild Man of the West was Dick, and Dick the Wild Man of the West, and
that both should come home at the same time in one body, and propose to
marry his mother, was past belief--so of course he didn't believe it.

"Hallo! wait a bit; I do b'lieve I was forgettin'," cried the Wild Man,
springing up in his own violent, impulsive way, upsetting his chair (as
a matter of course, being unused to such delicacies), dashing through
the lake of cream to the all but annihilation of the kitten, opening the
door, and giving vent to a shrill whistle.

All rushed out to witness the result. They were prepared for anything
now--from a mad bison to a red warrior's ghost, and would have been
rather disappointed had anything feebler appeared.

Immediately there was a clatter of hoofs; a beautiful white pony
galloped round the corner of the wood, and made straight for the
cottage. Seated thereon was the vision in leather--not seated as a
woman sits, but after the fashion of her own adopted father, and having
on her leathern dress with a pair of long leggings highly ornamented
with porcupine quills and bead work. The vision leaped the fence like
her father, bounded from her pony as he had