“I will enquire into the matter.  I cannot quite understand their motive; boys are thoughtless, and perhaps their intentions were good.  I know they will be extremely sorry at the result of their visit.  If you come with me to the housekeeper she will give you some good, strong soup for your husband.  I will come and see him myself the first thing to-morrow morning.”

It was not till after she had dined with her mother, that Miss Bertram sent for her little nephews again, and then she gave them a severer scolding than they had received from her for a long time.  They crept up to bed that night feeling very woe-begone.

“I’m sure we’d better give up these opportunities,” said Dudley, disconsolately, as they paused at an old staircase window on their way to their rooms; “you see this is the third one, and they all turn out badly.  There was that tramp who must have got drunk with your sixpence, and then there was saving me, and that made you so awfully ill, and now here’s this old fellow that perhaps we shall make die.  It all goes wrong, somehow.”

Roy looked out of the window with knitted brow.

“I was thinking of that King—­Bruce—­who saw the spider try three times and then succeed.  We must try again, that’s all!  I shan’t give up yet.  It is really a big opportunity I’m looking for!”

And Roy laid his head down on the pillow that night, steadfastly purposing to continue his role of benefiting the human race.

V

A LOST DONKEY

Fortunately for the boys, John Cullen got over his fright and took a turn for the better, but Miss Bertram began to exercise more control over their many spare hours.  She took them out driving with her in the afternoon, or expeditions by foot; sometimes to some farmhouse to tea, sometimes to some neighboring squire who had young ones to entertain them.  And Dudley in his happy, careless way soon put all thoughts of improved opportunities out of his head.  He was ready enough to put into action any proposal of Roy’s, but left alone he was perfectly content to enjoy himself in his own easy fashion; and Roy seemed to be willing to let the matter rest, as he never now alluded to it.

But one morning two or three weeks later, as the boys were returning from the Rectory with their satchels in their hands, they met an old man they knew in deep distress.

“What’s the matter, Roger?” asked Roy; “why are you muttering away and shaking your head so?”

“Ay, young master, I be in a sorrowful plight.  My donkey has strayed away and I cannot find she nowheres.  I’ve been up over the hills, and not a sign of she!  And it’s to-morrow that’s market day, and how I’m to get my veggetubbles to town is more’n I can tell ’ee!”

“She can’t be lost; when did you have her last?”

“‘Twas yest’day mornin’.  Ay, she be just a kickin’ up her heels miles away and a laughin’ at her poor old master.  She be a terrible beast for strayin’, and I just let her out on the green for a bit thinkin’ to give her a pleasure, and that’s how she treats me, the ungrateful creature!  I heerd she were seen on the hills, but I’m a weary of trampin’ up and down ’em.”