She echoed this wish as she and Josephine plodded home through the thick mud of the high road.
"I expect the poor old soul leads a very dull life," she remarked, "and after her son's gone again she'll feel very lonely. We must go and try to keep up her spirits. I am sure Aunt Ann will let us."
As they passed the blacksmith's shop they noticed a young soldier standing by the forge in conversation with the blacksmith, and Josephine whispered—
"That must be Dick Rumbelow, May. Yes, he has 'Canada' on his shoulder."
A little farther on the road they met the blacksmith's wife, and stopped to exchange a few words with her. The recruits who had been billeted at Midbury during the winter had left the previous week to complete their training elsewhere, and with them, of course, young Dicker; May inquired for him.
"He's quite well, thank you, miss," his mother answered, "and very cheerful and happy. I hope you get good news of your father, miss?" she questioned, addressing Josephine.
"He was safe and well the last time I heard from him," Josephine replied. "We saw a Canadian soldier talking to your husband, Mrs. Dicker; I wonder if he was Dick Rumbelow?"
"Sure to be, miss. You can't think how much he's improved since the first time he had leave and came home to see his mother. I thought then he was just the careless good-for-nothing he used to be—he didn't seem to have altered very much; but now it strikes me that he's sobered down wonderfully—it's the discipline that's done it may be, or maybe it's in answer to his mother's prayers. Ah, he's got a good mother, has Dick Rumbelow! I can't explain to you how patient she's always been with him, and so hopeful—but there, love hopeth all things, doesn't it?"
With this she nodded at them smilingly and went on her way. It took the little girls but five minutes after that to reach the Glen. Donald, who had watched their approach from the dining-room window, met them in the hall. He looked at Josephine strangely, she thought, and appeared very excited.
"You're wanted in Uncle John's study at once," he told her; "Aunt Ann and Uncle John are there, and—"