"We are at least twenty-five miles from the monks of Chartres by this
time," said the third, "and I wish we had some breakfast."

"By another hour we shall have the cow safe in our home den," said the
fourth, "and then we will have some bread and milk."

But the fifth interrupted them saying, "Look! Who is that man in gray?"

They all looked up quickly and began to tremble; but Mignon gave a great
"Moo!" and galloped forward to meet the figure who had stepped out from
behind a bush. It was Saint Launomar himself!

He had been up ever since dawn looking for his precious cow; for when he
went to milk her he had found the barn empty, and her footprints with
those of the five robbers in the moist earth had told the story and
pointed which way the company had gone. But it was not his plan to scold
or frighten the robbers. He walked up to them, for they were so
surprised to see him that they stood still trembling, forgetting even to
run away.

"Good-morning, friends," said Launomar kindly. "You have brought back
my cow, I see, who to-night for the first time has left her stall to
wander far. I thank you, good friends, for bringing Mignon to me. For
she is not only a treasure in herself, but she is my dearest friend and
I should be most unhappy to lose her."

The men stood staring at Launomar in astonishment. They could hardly
believe their eyes and their ears. Where did he come from? What did he
mean? But when they realized how kind his voice was, and that he was not
accusing them nor threatening to have them punished, they were very much
ashamed. They hung their heads guiltily; and then all of a sudden they
fell at his feet, the five of them, confessing how it had all come about
and begging his pardon.

"We stole the cow, Master," said the first one.

"And carried her these many miles away," said the second.

"We are wicked robbers and deserve to be punished," said the third.

"But we beg you to pardon us," cried the fourth.

"Let us depart, kind Father, we pray you," begged the fifth. "And be so
good as to direct us on our way, for we are sorely puzzled."

"Nay, nay," answered Saint Launomar pleasantly, "the cow hath led you a
long way, hath she not? You must be both tired and hungry. You cannot
journey yet." And in truth they were miserable objects to see, so that
the Saint's kind heart was filled with pity, robbers though they were.
"Follow me," he said. By this time they were too weak and weary to think
of