“We were at home in the city,” he continued. “You had come up to my room and sat by me. I was all covered up with the quilt, so you wouldn’t see my red eyes. All at once we heard some one singing. It was only Mamma and Aida. Mamma was playing the air on the dear violin, Aida accompanying her on the piano and singing, and she always gives one a chance to hear the words.”

“Yes, Edwy, I remember. You flew out of bed and leaned over the banisters to hear. It was from The Oratorio of the ‘Messiah.’ You wished they would play and sing it all night. You had forgotten all your troubles in a moment.”

“Oh, I can hear it now, even after all these months, as the remembrance of it comes through the still evening air. ‘He shall feed his flock ... feed his flock ... like a shepherd. He shall carry the lambs in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.’ Then you told me the story about His life, after I came back to bed, and I fell asleep, saying it over and over. He shall feed his flock ... feed his flock ... like a shepherd ... and carry the lambs in his bosom ... the little ... little ... lambs!”

CHAPTER VI
DEPARTURE OF THE FIRST GROUP OF CAMPERS

Edwy’s special friend had noticed how bravely he had given up the idea of taking any of the country pets to the city, at least until he grew older, but there was one little plan which she had not as yet divulged to anybody. She had remarked to herself that a kitten had not been forbidden, simply because it had not been thought of as a possibility. After the boys and their parents had said good-bye to their camp, and the whistle of their train could be heard far over the hills, she began to take a new course with Zephyr. The little lonesome creature would go often down to the bank, and seem to watch for the coming of a boat and a welcoming warwhoop, but would always come back disappointed. It was at such times that Aida and her mother would have a loving word for Zephyr, and it evidently was at a loss to know what such unusual attention meant. For instance, Zephyr might have wondered why she was so often invited to go to sleep in a large cushioned box, with a wire cover, not often closed, over her; and why she was fed occasional dainties in this place, until she had grown to love it, and feel perfectly at home in it.

Up to this time, they had not been quite sure but that some one might claim Zephyr, but they had found out by accident, that a family had moved away from a near-by hamlet, and had left this helpless creature to the mercy of fierce dogs and winter terrors; but a kind Providence that doth not let even the sparrows fall had brought her to a good home, and now, that it had been decided what could be done for her by the remaining friends at the camp, there was no lack of affection shown. So Zephyr grew soft and fluffy and more engaging than ever, had no fear of her wire-covered box, in which she was being prepared for a longer journey, and eventually for summers and winters to come. In this way she might be brought back and forth to the camp every summer.

Some weeks had passed before the second army of campers were ready to leave. The autumn days had turned the leaves of the forest from gold to crimson, the Hermit thrush had ceased its song of the even-tide, and when they were all ready to leave the camp, Zephyr did not seem at all surprised to be taken along with them. She was taken to Aida’s home at first, for her (Aida’s) tall husband had at last come home, braving the dangers of the war-ravaged seas.

CHAPTER VII
ONE OF ZEPHYR’S SUMMER HOMES

As Aida’s real summer home was in a lovely small city in one of the more northern belts of the state, she would not go to the great city for a month yet. So this country house, the Blake home, happened to be Zephyr’s first stopping place. While mother and daughter, in the quiet of the home garden, had many a talk under the trees about the friends who had preceded them to that great city, which has always welcomed its own people; and also the oppressed of all nations, and honored them so long as the privileges of citizenship were appreciated. To those who seemed to understand intuitively that the “Statue of Liberty,” presented by a sister nation, meant more of friendship, loyalty, and respect, than words could express, it was a most wonderful boon, and at once the “Empire city” seemed to become law-abiding, by absorption, under the leadership of the great souls who ruled both city and country, and their appreciation of this new and lasting bond.

While Aida and her mother were happy in the garden and thinking “Big thoughts,” Edwy’s pretty name for all he could not quite comprehend, Aida, looking up, saw a shadow pass over her mother’s face.