ere it sloped round by the spur of the down, a bustling
bumblebee making him notice this by brushing against his nose as he
buzzed through the air in that self-satisfied important way that all
bumblebees affect in their outdoor life; and, looking over the hedge
that sank down at this point, he saw a group of boys gathered round the
edge of the pond.

He did not recognise Teddy amongst them; but, fancying the urchins might
be able to tell him something of his movements, he made towards them,
climbing through a gap in the fence and walking down the sloping side of
the hill to the meadow below.

The boys, catching sight of him, immediately began to huddle together
like a flock of sheep startled by the appearance of some strange dog;
and he could hear them calling out some words of warning, in which his
familiar title "t'parson" could be plainly distinguished.

"The young imps must be doing something wrong, and are afraid of being
found out," thought the vicar. "Never mind, though, I sha'n't be hard
on them, remembering my own young truant!"

As he got nearer, he heard the yelp of a dog as if in pain or alarm.

"They're surely not drowning some poor animal," said the vicar aloud,
uttering the new thought that flashed across his mind. "If so, I shall
most certainly be severe with them; for cruelty is detestable in man or
boy!"

Hurrying on, he soon obtained a clear view of the pond, and he could now
see that not only were a lot of boys clustered together round the edge
of the water, but towards the centre something was floating like a raft
with apparently another boy on it, who was holding a struggling white
object in his arms, from which evidently the yelps proceeded--his ears
soon confirming the supposition.

"Hullo! what are you doing there?" shouted the vicar, quickening his
pace. "Don't hurt the poor dog!"

To his intense astonishment the boy on the floating substance turned his
face towards him, answering his hail promptly with an explanation.

"It's Puck, padie, and I ain't hurting him."

Both the face and the voice were Teddy's!

The vicar was completely astounded.

"Teddy!" he exclaimed, "can I believe my eyes?--is it really you?"

"Yes, it's me, padie," replied the young scapegrace, trying to balance
himself upright on the unsteady platform as he faced his father, but not
succeeding in doing so very gracefully.

"Why, how on earth--or rather water, that would be the most correct
expression," sai