"But are you strong enough to be moved, Giles?" inquired Mrs. Anderson.
"Yus," said Giles in his confident tone, "quite strong enough. I want to see the country, and to live in it for a spell, afore I go right 'ome to the best Country of all. Sue's lookin' out; she'll be back—oh, any day, for she knows the time's short."
"Giles," said Connie, "you're too tired to talk any more."
She gave the boy some of his restorative medicine, and Ronald went up and kissed him. "Don't forget," said Giles, "brave fathers——"
"Not me!" answered Ronald. "Brave fathers for ever!" Then Ronald went away.
Mrs. Anderson took his hand and led him back to the house. She did not scold him for going out with Connie. She did not mean to reproach him at all; he had made a great victory; she felt proud of him. When supper had come to an end she called the boy to her:
"Ronald dear, I wish to say something. If you were a coward to-day, so was I."
"You—my aunt?" said Ronald. "Oh no—no!"
"Yes. I didn't want to part with you."
Ronald shivered.