Her great object was to make him thankful for his preservation, but with a child, knowing nothing of death and heedless of fear, this was very difficult.  The rapid motion had been delightful excitement, or if there had been any alarm, it was forgotten in the triumph.  She had to change her note, and represent how the poor horse might have run into the river, or against a post!  Maurice looked serious, and then she came to the high moral tone—­mounting strangers’ horses without leave—­would papa, would Gilbert, think of such a thing?  The full lip was put out, as though under conviction, and he hung his head.  ‘You wont do it again?’ said she.

‘No.’

She told him to say his prayers, guiding the confession and thanksgiving that she feared he did not fully follow.  As he rose up, and saw the tears on her cheeks, he whispered, ’Mamma, did it make you so?’

Cause and effect were a great puzzle to him, but that swoon was the only thing that brought home to him that he had been guilty of something enormous, and when she owned that his danger had been the occasion, he stood and looked; then, standing bolt upright, with clasped hands, and rosy feet pressed close together, he said, with a long breath, ‘I’ll never get on Bamfylde again till I’m a big boy.’

As he spoke, Mr. Kendal pushed open the half-closed door, and Albinia, looking up, said, ’Here’s a boy who knows he has done wrong, papa.’

Never was more welcome excuse for lifting the gallant child to his breast, and lavishing caresses that would have been tender but for the strong spirit of riot which turned them into a game at romps, cut short by Mr. Kendal, as soon as the noise grew very outrageous.  ‘That’s enough to-night; good night.’  And when they each had kissed the monkey face tossing about among the clothes, Maurice might have heard more pride than pain in the ‘I never saw such a boy!’ with which they shut the door.

‘This is not prudent!’ said Mr. Kendal.

’Do you think I could have rested till I had seen him? and he said you had told him not to come down.’

’I would have brought him to you.  You are looking very ill; you had better go to bed at once.’

’No, I should not sleep.  Pray let me grow quiet first.  Now you know you trust Maurice,—­old Maurice, and I’ll lie on the sofa like any mouse, if you’ll bring him up and let him talk.  You know it will be an interesting novelty for you to talk, and me to listen! and he has not seen the baby.’

Albinia gained her point, but Mr. Kendal and Lucy first tucked her up upon the sofa, till she cried out, ’You have swathed me hand and foot.  How am I to show off that little Awk?’

‘I’ll take care of that,’ said Mr. Kendal; and so he did, fully doing the honours of the little daughter, who had already fastened on his heart.

‘But,’ cried Albinia, breaking into the midst, ’who or what are we, ungrateful monsters, never to have thought of the man who caught that dreadful horse!’