must have been sad for a "Mem" or a "Thakin Ingalay" to
lose him.'

Ah, it was hard to understand, and there was the queer charm the woman
had, but it and Bebe had brought good fortune--never had Maung Yet
gathered in a better harvest. And the little subject of all this talk,
dressed like a Burmese baby in Mah Soh's arms, heard all, and understood
nothing, not knowing how all-important it was to him.

The rainy season was unusually severe that year, and came all too soon;
then fever broke out in the jungle villages--it came to Maung Yet's
house, and Mah Soh was one of the first to die. Bebe cried, and when no
one knew, he crawled to her. They took him away when they found him
there; he lay hot and restless on his sleeping-mat, for he too had taken
the fever. Maung Yet was a sad man that day, and he and his fellows
talked much of the trouble. They said the evil spirits must be angry,
and some dread thing would happen if the white baby died. Had they not
tied round its neck the metal charm, and it had worked no cure yet? Then
one told of a camp of white men, Thakins (captains) and native soldiers,
who had raised many tents and huts by the big lake: would it not be wise
to take Bebe to them?

Maung Yet resolved to do so; they would start at moonrise. Wrapped in
cloth and skins tenderly by the women, Bebe was placed in the tappa (a
Burmese basket of creel-shape), and slung over Maung's shoulder. They
paced rapidly through the night, he and his fellows, until at sunrise
they saw the shining of Lake Ownwi, and later the sentries and huts of a
camp, and knew that their wandering was nearly ended.

II.

It was the first day of the summer term, at Oakwood Preparatory School,
and the head master, Dr. Rayne, was interviewing in his study various
parents bringing new boys, all of the latter more or less subdued by so
august a presence.

A ring had heralded a fresh arrival, and the butler announced 'Captain
Ferrers.' A middle-aged man, bronzed and tall, and followed by a dark,
handsome boy some ten years old, entered, and was warmly greeted by Dr.
Rayne, who, grasping him by both hands, exclaimed: 'Welcome back to
England, Ferrers! It is good to see you again. I got your note, and am
most interested--this is your little charge, of course--glad to see you,
my little man.'

'Yes, this is Paul. I have been telling him a lot about my old days
here, and how I was one of your first boys. I have to hurry away to-day,
and w