rms, and embraced him closely, but the
child did not respond.

Then Hobb looked at him anxiously, and was so shocked that he forgot
the strange blithe little farm entirely. For Lionel was as wan and
wasted as though he had been through a fever, and his rosy face was
white, and his merry eyes were melancholy. And suddenly, as Hobb
clasped him, he flung his arms round his big brother's neck and buried
his face in his bosom and wept bitterly.

Then Hobb tried to soothe and comfort him, asking him little questions
in a coaxing voice--"Where has the child been? Why did he run away and
leave us? Where did he get this pretty, wonderful toy? Is he hurt, or
hungry? Does he remember it is his birthday? There will be presents for
him at the Burgh, and a cake for tea. Did Hugh bring him home? Has he
seen Hugh? Lal, Lal, where is Hugh?"

But Lionel answered none of these questions, he only sobbed and sobbed,
and suddenly slipped out of Hobb's arms, and began to play once more
with his farm, while the tears ran down his thin cheeks. Presently he
let Hobb take him home, and there Heriot and Ambrose rejoiced and
sorrowed over him. For he would scarcely speak or eat, and only shook
his head at their questions. At Hugh's name his tears flowed twice as
fast, but he would tell them nothing of him. Very soon Hobb carried him
to bed, and in undressing him noticed that he had no shirt. This too
Lionel would not explain, and Hobb ceased troubling him with talk, and
knelt and prayed by him, and laid him down to sleep, hoping that in the
morning he would be better. But morning brought no change. Lionel from
that day was given up to grief. Each morning he went dejectedly to play
with his marvelous toy in the valley, but how he came by it he would
not say.

Towards the end of April Heriot came to Hobb and Ambrose and said, "I
cannot bear this; Lionel is home and we are none the better for it, and
Hugh is gone and we are all the worse. Hugh is capable of looking after
himself, yet perhaps danger has befallen him; and even if not, he will
roam the country fruitlessly for months, and it may be years; since
Lionel is restored and he does not know it. The Burgh can spare me
better than it can you, and I will ride abroad and see if I can find
him, and return in seven days, whether or no."

So they embraced him, and he departed. But at the end of seven days he
did not appear. And Ambrose and Hobb were dismayed at his vanishing
like the others, and