est, where there is to be a fair to-morrow, beginning this
afternoon. Stone advised me to look about before the affair opened,
while unpacking and arranging was going on. Well, after all, it was
very simple. I strolled out with my dog round the field where the vans
and booths were getting into order. There was what I thought a little
girl in a faded red petticoat sitting on the steps at the bottom of a
yellow van with her head on her hands.'

'That was me,' said Alwyn, lighting up. 'And Mothu came and kissed
Fan!'

'Yes,' said Mr. Dutton; 'I verily believe we might have missed one
another, but Monsieur ran up to him and, as I was actually whistling
him off, I heard a little voice say, "Mothu! Mothu!" and saw they
were--well, embracing one another, and then came "Mithter Button,
Mithter Button, oh, take me home!'"

Eager caressing hands were held out to Monsieur, who jumped off the
seat to receive the pats and laudations lavished on his curly round
pate, and had to be reduced to order before Mr. Dutton could answer the
question whether he had any further difficulty or danger.

'I took him up in my arms, and a handsome truculent-looking woman burst
out on me, demanding what I was about with her child. To which I
answered that she knew very well he was no such thing. Her man came
swaggering up, declaring impudently that I had better be off--but I
believe he saw that the people who came round would not take his part,
for he gave in much more easily than I expected. I explained as loud
as I could that this was a gentleman's son who had been stolen from his
nurse in the Park. The man began to protest that they had found him
deserted, and taken him with them out of charity, requesting to be paid
for his keep. So I thought it better to give them a sovereign at once,
so as to have no further trouble, and get him away as fast as I could.
The woman came after me, making further demands, but the sight of a
policeman in the distance turned her back. I went up to him and
explained. I found he knew all about the loss and the reward, and
looked regretfully at my prize. We went back to the hotel, where I set
Alwyn to rights as well as I could, sent out for some clothes, such as
the place would produce, and which at least, as he says, made a boy of
him again. I'm afraid the process was rather trying from such
unaccustomed hands, though he was very good, and he has been asleep
almost all the way home, and, his senses all