Mr. Le Bras had just taken his wife's arm to lead her aside into the parlor, and there break the startling news to her as gently as possible, when Sue was heard saying,—
"You were very bad boys! You didn't get home at seven last night, as you promised; and I am sure papa will make you pay a penalty."
Mr. Le Bras felt giddy, almost faint; but he had presence of mind enough to lead his wife into the dining-room instead of the parlor, and there at the table in their places sat two rosy-cheeked, happy-looking boys, with their eyes brimful of fun and expectancy; although a keen observer might have noticed a shade more of gravity upon Johnny's face than upon Felix's daring countenance.
Pierre, who was standing in the front-door, thinking gloomily, all of a sudden, of the pond just this side of the lighthouse, of which a man at the Point had spoken as a good place to get water-lilies, and wondering if the boys could have stumbled into it, heard Sue's clear, merry voice also; and his heart bounded joyfully as he turned and joined the group in the dining-room.
After grace had been said, Mr. Le Bras began to serve, without saying a word.
"Didn't you get home until after seven?" Mrs. Le Bras asked the boys, as she began to pour out the coffee.
"No, ma'am," replied Johnny, looking curiously at his father: "we didn't get into the house until this morning. We got caught in the rain."
"And so we lodged away from home," added Felix, who could not wait for Johnny to tell it all himself; "but, as it happened, we didn't have to pay any thing for lodging."
"Why!" said Mrs. Le Bras, looking at her husband with some surprise: "why didn't you tell me the boys were staying away from home?"
"As I could not tell you exactly where they were staying, my dear,—although I supposed, that, having got caught in the rain, they were safe with some good family hereabouts,—I thought it best not to tell you until this morning, for fear you would be anxious, and worry about them."