, and everything he saw was
absorbing. Mr. Allonby did not speak. He was very doubtful as to
whether he had acted wisely in taking Bobby off in such a fashion, and
was more than half inclined to turn back and hand him over to his
grandmother again. He looked down upon him with a mixture of affection
and anxiety. At last, meeting the steadfast gaze of two bright brown
eyes, he said:

'Well, what do you think of your father, Bobby?'

'You aren't the same as I finked about,' responded the child readily.

'Tell me how I am different.'

'I finked you would be a big man with a black beard, who would take me
to live in a cave in the mountains, or fight with the Red Ingines.
Nurse's brother said he expecked you would be like that.'

'You want a life of adventure and travel!'

Mr. Allonby's eyes sparkled, though he was staring in front of him and
making his car go beyond the limited speed at this juncture.

'Then you're a proper son of mine, Bobby, and I won't let you go.
We'll do some travels together.'

And we'll leave the little girl at home,' suggested Bobby.

His father laughed aloud.

'True? Bless her heart! Do you know where I first met her, Bobby?
Careering on a wild prairie; run away on a half-broken colt, and been
lost for two days; and when I took her back to her mother----'

He stopped and smiled to himself in the darkness.

'Ah, well! That was a good day in my life, and better ones followed.
No, you and True must be friends. Truant is her name by rights, for
her mother never could keep her indoors or at home. Now, Bobby, look
ahead! Do you see those lights? We go through the town; and just
outside is our home--a very tiny one at present, for we move about; but
we'll find a corner for you.'

He slackened speed. Slowly they passed through the streets of an
old-fashioned cathedral town. Soon the houses became more scarce, and
at last they came to a standstill before an iron gate in a wall. True
woke up, and she and Bobby were bundled out.

'Go up to the door; I'll take the car into the shed and join you.'

True pulled Bobby after her up a narrow gravel path. It was dark, but
there was a sweet smell of mignonette and of roses. Bobby was dimly
conscious of two old-fashioned borders of flowers edging their path. A
light shone out of a casement window on the ground floor which was
open. True ran up to it and put her head in.

'We're back, motherums, and we've brought dad's little boy wi