“You don’t mean it! Do you know any one there?”

“No.”

“Then I should think you would be afraid to go.”

“I have to go somewhere. Mr. Winter would have apprenticed me to a shoemaker if I had stayed in Wrayburn.”

“Did your mother know you were going to leave home?”

“Yes; I wouldn’t go without telling her.”

Adelbert sat down by Ben and the two talked earnestly. All at once they became sensible of a commotion, then of men, women and children running by them in excitement, the more timid uttering cries of alarm.

“What’s the matter?” asked Ben.

It’s a mad dog,” answered his cousin, turning pale, “and he’s coming our way!