ed the little girl, as they were about to start.
Mrs. Wright was casting a careful eye round the room, to see that all
was as it ought to be before she left.

Jack looked up sharply. 'There must be no wandering away from me or
Mother, Missy,' he said, almost sternly. 'Julien Matou is but a boy, and
cannot look properly after you.'

'He says he can,' replied Estelle, dancing along in front of Jack and
Goody, as they descended the steep path to the village. 'He says there
is so much to see, and when you are tired, he will take me. But I would
rather go with you.'

'You see, Jack,' said his mother, as the little girl ran too far in
advance to hear, 'your fears about the child last night did not come to
anything. I don't know why we should be so very particular to-day.
Every one in Tout-Petit knows her, and she is not at all likely to come
to harm among them.'

'Right enough,' returned Jack, quietly; 'that is, as far as our own
people go. But you forget, Mother, this _fete_ brings strangers and
loafers who may be most undesirable. I am glad, and--I must confess
it--very much relieved to find that yesterday evening passed off without
any mishap. I looked in your direction several times, and was glad to
think you had the doctor, M. le Prefet, and Fargis close to you.'

Mrs. Wright laughed. 'I can't help it,' she said; 'it sounds as if we
were threatened with some terrible accident; what these French call "_un
coup de main_," and as if only having our friends with us prevented it.'

Jack made no answer.

'You're not angry, are you, my son? I don't want you to worry yourself
and us by fancies. That's all. Let the child enjoy herself.'

Jack merely said, 'All right, Mother; I understand.' He was walking very
straight and still; his head in the air, his shoulders squared. Mrs.
Wright looked up at the set face so high above her, and was sorry she
had spoken. Jack smiled as she put a caressing hand on to his arm,
though the look in his eyes did not satisfy her. He called Estelle back
to him as soon as they came upon any stragglers from the _fete_, and
took her hand in a way that neither his mother nor the child ventured to
resist.

Estelle was too much interested to think anything about it; indeed, she
preferred the security of his presence.

As they approached the _fete_, the noise of the revellers grew louder,
and soon they came upon the bonfires, where joints of meat, fowls, and
geese were being roasted on spits. The