"What can the child mean?" said Mr. Percy, who stood with them at the window. "Let somebody call her in, and we will hear."
"No, no, dear uncle, do not have her in," cried Arthur, in a tone of entreaty.
But Mr. Percy, who was determined to know the reason, left the room, and hastened into the street; where he heard the whole account of his nephew's generosity from the lips of the grateful Flora.
At first he could scarcely credit it; but the truth was attested by the soldier, who, on hearing Arthur's voice, declared it to be that of his benefactor.
Arthur, with tears in his eyes, informed his aunt and cousin of the whole affair, saying, as he concluded,
"Indeed, my dear aunt, I could not help giving the money to them, though it had been my father's."
Mrs. Percy, far from blaming her nephew, applauded him as he deserved; as to Jane, she was, if possible, the happiest of the party.
Mr. Percy shortly after returned, and presenting his hand to Arthur, said: "I now give you my hand with the greatest pleasure I ever did in my life; your fault was trivial compared to your generous action, and I am at this moment prouder of my nephew than if he had been born a prince."
That very day Mr. Percy presented Arthur with the Life of Charles XII; and a beautiful edition of Homer, handsomely bound in purple morocco. He also raised a subscription among his friends, to enable the blind piper to return to the place of his nativity.