p of humiliation. A shrill approving whistle from the hill
was some comfort, however, and gave him spirit to help Bab out with
composure, though his hands were blistered and he had hardly breath
enough to issue the Command,--

"Go along home, and don't mind him."

"Nice childer, ye are, runnin' off this way, settin' the women
distracted, and me wastin' me time comin' after ye when I'd be milkin'
airly so I'd get a bit of pleasure the day," grumbled Pat, coming up to
untie the Duke, whose Roman nose Ben had already recognized, as well as
the roomy chaise standing before the door.

"Did Billy tell you about us?" asked Bab, gladly following toward this
welcome refuge.

"Faith he did, and the Squire sent me to fetch ye home quiet and aisy.
When ye found me, I'd jist stopped here to borry a light for me pipe. Up
wid ye, b'y, and not be wastin' me time stramashin' after a spalpeen
that I'd like to lay me whip over," said Pat, gruffly, as Ben came
along, having left the barrow in the shed.

"Don't you wish you could? You needn't wait for me; I'll come when I'm
ready," answered Ben dodging round the chaise, bound not to mind Pat, if
he spent the night by the road-side in consequence.

"Bedad, and I won't then. It's lively ye are; but four legs is better
than two, as ye'll find this night, me young man."

With that he whipped up and was off before Bab could say a word to
persuade Ben to humble himself for the sake of a ride. She lamented and
Pat chuckled, both forgetting what an agile monkey the boy was, and as
neither looked back, they were unaware Master Ben was hanging on behind
among the straps and springs, making derisive grimaces at his
unconscious foe through the little glass in the leathern back.

At the lodge gate Ben jumped down to run before with whoops of naughty
satisfaction, which brought the anxious waiters to the door in a flock;
so Pat could only shake his fist at the exulting little rascal as he
drove away, leaving the wanderers to be welcomed as warmly as if they
were a pair of model children.

Mrs. Moss had not been very much troubled after all; for Cy had told her
that Bab went after Ben, and Billy had lately reported her safe arrival
among them, so, mother-like, she fed, dried, and warmed the runaways,
before she scolded them.

Even then, the lecture was a mild one, for when they tried to tell the
adventures which to them seemed so exciting, not to say tragical, the
effect astonished them imme