"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.