ere?" she asked.

I looked at her without answering; she stared back at me. Suddenly she
began to tremble.

"Oh, Lord, is it my Remi!" she murmured.

I jumped up and caught her in my arms.

"Mamma!"

"My boy! my boy!" was all that she could say, as she laid her head on my
shoulder.

Some minutes passed before we had controlled our emotion. I wiped away
her tears.

"Why, how you've grown, my boy," she cried, holding me at arms' length,
"you're so big and so strong! Oh, my Remi!"

A stifled snort reminded me that Mattia was under the bed. I called him.
He crept out.

"This is Mattia," I said, "my brother."

"Oh, then you've found your parents?" she cried.

"No, he's my chum, but just like a brother. And this is Capi," I added,
after she had greeted Mattia. "Come and salute your master's mother,
Capitano."

Capi got on his hind paws and bowed gravely to Mother Barberin. She
laughed heartily. Her tears had quite vanished. Mattia made me a sign to
spring our surprise.

"Let's go and see how the garden looks," I said.

"I have kept your bit just as you arranged it," she said, "for I knew
that some day you would come back."

"Did you get my Jerusalem artichokes?"

"Ah, you planted them to surprise me! You always liked to give
surprises, my boy."

The moment had come.

"Is the cowshed just the same since poor Rousette went?" I asked.

"Oh, no; I keep my wood there now."

We had reached the shed by this time. I pushed open the door and at once
our cow, who was hungry, began to bellow.

"A cow! A cow in my cowshed!" cried Mother Barberin.

Mattia and I burst out laughing.

"It's a surprise," I cried, "and a better one than the Jerusalem
artichokes."

She looked at me in a dazed, astonished manner.

"Yes, it's a present for you. I did not come back with empty hands to
the mamma who was so good to the little lost boy. This is to replace
Rousette. Mattia and I bought it for you with the money we earned."

"Oh, the dear boys!" she cried, kissing us both.

She now went inside the shed to examine her present. At each discovery
she gave a shriek of delight.

"What a beautiful cow," she exclaimed.

Then she turned round suddenly.

"Say, you must be very rich now?"

"I should say so," laughed Mattia; "we've got fifty-eight sous left."

I ran to the house to fetch the milk pail, and while in the house I
arranged the butter, eggs, and flour in a display on the table, then
ran back to the shed. Ho