u? I know what I'll do if you come here,
spoiling my dog."

"I will go back directly when I have said one thing. It was all my
fault that you and Oliver quarrelled this morning. I was frightened,
and screamed when I ought not; and it is my fault that you are not now
by our fire, getting your supper with us, in our tent I am sure, I wish
you were there."

"Very fine," said Roger. "He knows I thrashed him; and he does not want
any more of it. But I'll thrash him as long as I live; I tell you
that."

"Oliver does not know about my coming--he is asleep in the tent,"
protested Mildred. "Nobody knows of my coming. I don't believe Oliver
would have let me come, if he had known it. Only go and look yourself;
and you will see how he lies asleep on the grass. We know you can beat
him in fighting, because you are so much bigger; and that is why I
cannot bear that he should fight. It was all about me this time; and I
know he will never give up; and I don't know how long it will be before
he is big enough to thrash you."

"Long enough, I can tell you: so get away, and let me go to sleep; or
I'll thrash you too."

"How can you talk so, Roger, and keep your anger so, when we are all so
unhappy? I did not wonder much before, when Ailwin had to help
Oliver... That was enough to make you or anybody be angry. But now,
when I come to tell you how sorry I am, and that I know, if I ask
Oliver, that he will be glad to forget everything, and that you should
come to supper with us, instead of lying here in the dark, with nothing
to eat, I do think you ought to forgive and forget; to forgive me, and
forget all about thrashing Oliver."

Roger made no answer.

"Good-bye, Roger," said Mildred. "I am sorry that you choose to lie
here, hungry and cold, instead of..."

"What business have you in my island?" interrupted Roger, fiercely.
"How dared you settle upon my ground, to mock me with your fire and your
supper? I'll have my fire and my supper too."

"I hope you will, if you will not come to ours. We were obliged to
settle here--the house is all cracking, and falling to pieces. We were
very sorry to come,--we were all so tired;--but we dared not stay in the
house."

Roger uttered an exclamation which showed that a new light had broken
upon him, as to the causes of their removal.

"Poor Geordie is so ill, we were most sorry to have to move him. The
time will come, Roger, though you don't think so now, when you will b