'Yes,' he whispered.

'God bless you! God bless you, Dickie!' she said catching him to her
heart and kissing his cheek. 'I guessed it. I do not know if it was
right, but it was brave and true, and I love you for it.'

'Don't cry,' Dick said consolingly; 'it'll all come out happy--it always
does you know.' This was the philosophy of the Waddy Library, and Dick
had the most perfect faith in its teachings.

'Thank you, dear. I am going to ask you to do something more for me. I am
afraid this is not right either. I know it is not right, but we cannot
always do what is right--our hearts won't let us sometimes. Will you help
me?'

'Yes,' he said valiantly, and would have liked nothing better at that
moment than to have been called upon to face a fire-breathing dragon on
her behalf.

'I want you to go to Yarraman and buy these things for me.'

She gave him money and a list of articles with the help of which she
hoped to effect a disguise for her father that would enable him to leave
the district. It was a very prosaic service, Dick thought, but he
undertook it cheerfully.

'I want you to tell no one what you are going for. Catch the
three-o'clock coach near the Bo Peep, and answer no questions.'

'I know a better way'n that,' said the boy, after a thoughtful pause.
'Mother wants some things from Yarraman. I'll get her to let me go fer
'em this afternoon.'

'Yes, yes; that is clever. But you won't tell.'

'Not a blessed soul.'

'And when you get back it will be late--bring the things to me as
secretly as you can. The troopers would be suspicious if they saw you--be
careful of them.'

Dick had no doubt of his ability to deceive the whole police force of the
province, and undertook the mission without a misgiving, his only regret
being that it was making no great demands upon his courage and ingenuity.

'Dickie,' said Chris, kissing him again at parting, 'I hope some day,
when you are older, it will be a great happiness to you to think you
helped a poor heartbroken girl in a time of terrible trouble.'

The boy would have liked to have framed a fine speech in answer to that,
but he could only say softly and earnestly:

'I'm fearful glad now, s'elp me!'

Mrs. Haddon was easily deceived, and Dick caught the three-o'clock coach.
The Waddy coach took two hours to do the journey to Yarraman and did not
start back till after eight, but this was not the first time the boy had
made the journey alone, and his mother had