ke in all sincerity,
it was impossible to Honora to stifle a lurking fear that the hopes built
on the prospect of his return had but a hollow foundation.

However it attracted Lucilla to Miss Wells, so that Honora did not fear
leaving her on going to bring home little Owen. The carriage which had
conveyed the travellers, had brought back news of his sister's discovery
and capture, and Honora found Mrs. Sandbrook much shocked at the enormity
of the proceeding, and inclined to pity Honora for having charge of the
most outrageous children she had ever seen. A very long letter had been
left for her by their father, rehearsing all he had before given of
directions, and dwelling still more on some others, but then apparently
repenting of laying down the law, he ended by entreating her to use her
own judgment, believe in his perfect confidence, and gratitude beyond
expression for most unmerited kindness.

Little Owen, she heard, had made the house resound with cries when his
father was nowhere to be found, but his nurse had quieted him, and he
came running to Honora with an open, confiding face. 'Are you the lady?
And will you take me to Cilly and the sea? And may I have a whale?'

Though Honora did not venture on promising him a tame whale in the
Bristol Channel, she had him clinging to her in a moment, eager to set
off, to go to Cilly, and the dove he had seen at her house. 'It's a
nasty house here--I want to come away,' he said, running backwards and
forwards between her and the window to look at the horses, while nurse's
interminable boxes were being carried down.

The troubles really seemed quite forgotten; the boy sat on her knee and
chattered all the way to Woolstone-lane, and there he and Lucilla flew
upon each other with very pretty childish joy; the sister doing the
honours of the house in right of having been a little longer an inmate.
Nurse caught her and dressed and combed her, shoed her and sashed her, so
that she came down to dinner less picturesque, but more respectable than
at her first appearance that morning, and except for the wonderful
daintiness of both children, dinner went off very well.

All did go well till night, and then Owen's woes began. Oh what a
piteous sobbing lamentation was it! 'Daddy, daddy!' not to be consoled,
not to be soothed, awakening his sister to the same sad cry, stilled only
by exhaustion and sleepiness.

Poor little fellow! Night after night it was the same. Morning