Tears were filling Dudley’s blue eyes, but Mrs. Bertram looked displeased.

“In my days, children never thought of arguing with their elders.  I think your aunt and I are as capable of taking care of Roy as you are.  Now leave the room, and do not refer to the matter again.”

Then Dudley astonished his grandmother by the first exhibition of temper that he had ever displayed before her.

“I won’t be separated from Roy.  If you send me to school, I shall run away, and I shall write and tell father the reason!”

A stamp of the foot emphasized this passionate speech, and then Dudley fled from the room, banging the door violently behind him.

As on a former occasion he now took himself and his grief to old Principle.  It was early-closing day in the village, and he found the old man just locking up his door prepared for a ramble.

“Come along up to the hills with me, laddie,” he said, after hearing the trouble; “there’s nothing like fresh air for blowing away a fit of the dumps.  I am going to the cave again—­will you come with me?”

“Yes, I will.  I’ve been in an awful temper in granny’s room, and banged her door.  I don’t think she’ll ever forgive me!”

“’Tis like this, Master Dudley,” said old Principle, presently, as they walked over the hills together; “if it’s right for you to go, there’s nothing to be said, and you must fall in with it whether you like it or no.”

“But it can’t be right for me to leave Roy when he wants me.”

“It may be the best thing in the world for him and you, if it is to be.  ’Tis a bad principle to determine whether a thing is right or wrong, according to our liking.”

“It’s a cruel thing to part us!” said Dudley, doggedly.

“But may be a way will be found out of the difficulty by Master Roy going with you.”

“They say he isn’t strong enough.  That wetting in the rain has made him bad again.”

“Well now I should ask the good Lord to make him strong enough.  There’s time between this and Easter.”

Dudley brightened up at once.

“Do you think he might be strong enough?  I should be able to take great care of him, and I would, too.  And he’s so plucky, that I’m sure the other boys would be good to him.”

The cave was reached, and in the interest of watching excavation going on Dudley was soon his bright self again.

He came home radiant, with a match-box full of tiny shells for Roy who was waiting for him in the nursery.

“You have been away a time,” he said, wearily:  “I’m sure I’m well enough to go out now.  I can’t bear the winter.  It means so many colds and aches.”

“Well, you’re going to get better very soon, and look here, old chap!  If you try your very best, perhaps the old doctor will give you leave to come to school with me after Easter.”

Roy’s eyes sparkled at the thought.