I could not bear that the strange boy should see me cry. I put up both my hands to hide my face, but I suppose he saw the tears trickling through my fingers, for I felt his hand touch mine, and heard him say 'Poor boy!'
In a minute—I don't quite know how—my arms were round his neck. We were very little fellows then, but we have loved one another ever since.
Cuthbert's eyes were full of tears.
'Somehow it seems as if it was all my fault.'
'How could it be your fault?' I said sadly; 'you could not help it.'
'Oh! I am glad you think that. I wanted you to come back, that I might see you again, and thank you for being kind to us that day. And I wanted to say good-bye before I go away.'
He held out his hand.
'Going away?' I said, taking it, and looking up at him, for he was rather older and taller than I was, 'are you going away? Where to?'
'I don't quite know; father's friends were all dead and gone when we got home to England.' His lip trembled, and there was a shadow of trouble on his brave bright face.
'Why do you go away, Cuthbert?'