"I'm afraid so, too. Oh, it's dreadful! Poor Peter Perry! Oh, what should we feel if we'd lost our Tim!"
Tom was so miserably unhappy thinking of Bounce that he had not the heart to go out again that day. He stayed indoors, not doing anything, and looking so altogether out of sorts that by and by his mother inquired if he was feeling unwell; whereupon he said that he was well enough, but that he was sick of the holidays and everything, an answer which brought a grieved look to her face. A short while later he spoke so sharply to Nellie because she kept on asking what was the matter with him, that he made her cry, after which his conscience pricked him for his unkindness to his little sister, and he finally went to bed in such a state of nervous irritability and remorse that it was hours before he could get to sleep.
The following morning he awoke early with the feeling that something of a disastrous nature had occurred; and immediately his thoughts flew to the blind boy and his dog. Then a brilliant idea occurred to him. He would get up and go to Halcyon Villa before breakfast, and ascertain if Bounce had returned. In another moment he was out of bed.
It was nearly seven o'clock by the time Tom reached Halcyon Villa, but every blind in the house was down. He was panting, for he had run all the way from Ladysmith Terrace, so he stood waiting at the front door, before ringing, to regain his breath. Whilst he stood thus he heard the wheels of a heavy vehicle rumbling in the road, and then a red and yellow caravan came in sight, which he recognised as the Lees'. To his amazement it drew up to the gate.
"Why is it stopping here, I wonder?" muttered Tom. "Oh!" The "oh" was a cry of mingled joy and relief, and the next moment he was running across the lawn to meet Moses Lee, who had entered the garden leading an Irish terrier at the end of a piece of rope. The gipsy had found the wanderer and brought him home.
[CHAPTER VI]
A PARTING
"NELLIE! I say, where are you, Nellie? It's all right! Bounce is safe! He's just been brought home."
Mr. and Mrs. Burford and their little daughter were at the breakfast-table when Tom burst in on them with his news. Nellie cried: "Oh, how glad I am!" and was beginning to ask questions when her father interposed by telling Tom to sit down and have his breakfast.
"I'm sorry I'm late," the little boy said apologetically, as he took his accustomed place. "I've been to Halcyon Villa, and stayed talking to Peter Perry and his aunt. I wanted so much to know if Bounce had been found."