up, Charlie!--cheer up, my little man! all may go well yet."

"Mrs. Bird," he sobbed, "you've been very kind to me; yet I want to go
home. I must see mother and father. You see what Esther writes,--they want
me to come home; do let me go."

"Of course you shall go, if you wish. Yet I should like you to remain with
me, if you will."

"No, no, Mrs. Bird, I mustn't stay; it wouldn't be right for me to remain
here, idle and enjoying myself, and they so poor and unhappy at home. I
couldn't stay," said he, rising from the table,--"I must go."

"Well, my dear, you can't go now. Sit down and finish your breakfast, or
you will have a head-ache."

"I'm not hungry--I can't eat," he replied; "my appetite has all gone." And
stealing away from the room, he went up into his chamber, threw himself on
the bed, and wept bitterly.

Mrs. Bird was greatly distressed at the idea of losing her little
favourite. He had been so much with her that she had become strongly
attached to him, and therefore looked forward to his departure with
unfeigned regret. But Charlie could not be persuaded to stay; and
reluctantly Mrs. Bird made arrangements for his journey home. Even the
servants looked a little sorry when they heard of his intended departure;
and Reuben the coachman actually presented him with a jack-knife as a token
of his regard.

Mrs. Bird accompanied him to the steamer, and placed him under the special
care of the captain; so that he was most comfortably provided for until his
arrival in New York, where he took the cars direct for home.

Not having written to inform them on what day he might be expected, he
anticipated giving them a joyful surprise, and, with this end in view,
hastened in the direction of Mr. Walters's. As he passed along, his eye was
attracted by a figure before him which he thought he recognized, and on
closer inspection it proved to be his sister Caddy.

Full of boyish fun, he crept up behind her, and clasped his hands over her
eyes, exclaiming, in an assumed voice, "Now, who am I?"

"Go away, you impudent, nasty thing!" cried Caddy, plunging violently.
Charlie loosed his hold; she turned, and beheld her brother.

"Oh! Charlie, Charlie! is it you? Why, bless you, you naughty fellow, how
you frightened me!" said she, throwing her arms round his neck, and kissing
him again and again. "When did you come? Oh, how delighted mother and Ess
will be!" "I only arrived about half an hour ago. How are mother and
fathe