* * * * *

“A strange thing has happened,” said Jeanne’s father the next day.  “I feel quite distressed about it.  Old Dudu the raven has disappeared.  He is nowhere to be found since yesterday afternoon, the gardener tells me.  They have looked for him everywhere in vain.  I feel quite sorry—­he has been in the family so long—­how long indeed I should be afraid to say, for my father remembered him as a child.”

The children looked at each other.

“Dudu has gone!” they said softly.

“We shall have no more stories,” whispered Hugh.

“Nor fairy adventures,” said Jeanne.

“He may come back again,” said Hugh.

“I think not,” said Jeanne, shaking her smooth little black head.  “Don’t you remember, Cheri, what he said about not wishing to stay here longer?”

“And he said ‘good-bye,’” added Hugh sadly.  “I fear he will not come back.”

But if he ever does, children dear, and if you care to hear what he has to tell, you shall not be forgotten, I promise you.

THE END

Printed by R. & R. CLARK, LIMITED, Edinburgh.

Transcriber’s notes: 

Title page, closing single quote added to poetry quotation.

Page 4, period added to end of sentence. “any worse.  Not”

Page 66, word “to” inserted in “Nibble next to the carriage”.

Page 87, period added:  “to row.  After a time”

Page 94, single end-quote changed to double end-quote " ...sing evermore.”

Page 128, opening quote added to “There now, ...”

Page 137, opening quote added to “And ‘don’t care;’ ...”

Page 148, opening single quote added to “‘but I would fain ...’”

Page 158, opening quote added to “‘She is so courageous ...’”

Page 165, double end-quote changed to single end-quote “‘Have no fear,’ he replied ...”

Page 168, ‘” changed to “’ in “‘I knew not ...’”

Page 170, closing quote changed to closing single quote “‘Go?’ said ...”

Page 170, extraneous ’ removed from “She looked ...”

Page 180, opening ’ added. “‘Hateful thing!’ she ...”

Page 189, double quotes changed to single quotes ’The crowd is so great...prettier than you,’

Page 230, opening quote added to “And Charlotte explained...”