Two Little Travellers / A Story for Girls

t grows weak

tain of feel

f the paths, s

of the dear

nts from earth

de me more m

ow how Jesus

m of God t

es Di

picture was broken by the

ral greeting to the troupe around

stirring with a long-handled wooden spoon, and then Darby

s by this time, I'm afraid. We thought, from what you said, that you would have been here long before now," he added, speaki

brought wi' us, Bambo-the missis an' me," he explained, pointing to the children, who were seated side by side upon the grass, for Moll had retired

r beside the frightened little creatures, who clung to each other as if for dear life. "Have you been at your thieving tricks

ey are, you'll see by-an'-by," he added, with a satisfied chuckle. "Look ee here now, Bambo," he continued, trying to be conciliatory, "there's no use in turnin' crusty. Haven't I learned you long ago that Joe Harris isn't the man to put up wi' no nonsense? All right, tha

ch the pathetic-looking little pair, as with kisses a

n acrobat? An' the gel! Look ee here!" and roughly snatching Joan from her seat at Darby's side, Joe swung her over to where the big furry bundle, which w

e creature a heavy kick with his coarse boot

lowly rose upon his hind legs and approached his master; while the m

ge beast, with sparkling eyes and slavering mouth, tower right above his little s

nd firmly gripped Bruno by the leather collar which was round his neck. But whether he addres

blouse. The awful faint feeling passed from him at the touch of those clinging arms around his neck, and with indignant eye

ll; for my father says that only cowards would try to frighten children or helpless things. Wait until I go home," said the little fellow boldly, forgetting i

Africa, or maybe lying dead somewhere? Joe and Moll might ill-treat them as they chose before father should be able to interfere. And mother! Father i

ression to his amus

ed this many's the day! Eh, Bambo, what do you think o' that

much as a single glance. He was cr

f the child, and satisfied himself that he had only fainted. Afterward

o rudely aroused him. Joan had hushed her sobs, although now and again a long, shuddering sigh shook her little body from head to foot, as with small, smudgy fingers she gently stroked her brother's cheek. Puck, the monkey, had skipped nimbly from

nds, and put some water to his lips, which Tonio carried from the spring that bubbled up from out the mossy g

where he was, what had happene

long, lean arm around Joan's shoulder. "If you do you'll make the master angry, and maybe he'll beat yo

ed Joan timidly, glancing nervou

s, while an odd, unaccustomed thrill stirred his pulse and warmed his heart. "If you look you

y bite us?" again a

ed. "Puck's about as old as Methuselah, and hasn't got a tooth in his head! He'll m

rom the caravan like the growling of a lion near feeding-time. "Sit there, and I'll brin

to sleep if they like, but bring me my supper," he commanded angrily-for Mr. Harris was hungry, and somebody who knows about such things says that "a hun

llen into bad hands when you fell into the

ht and the limit of the bear's chain. He sat on the grass beside them, coaxing and scolding them by turns, until

mbo before. But when they discovered how gentle was the touch of those thin hands and bony arms, how kind and soothing the tones of that croaky voice, all their fears van

shed, and the fire had sunk to a glow of red embers mixed with feath

own-up folks don't usually be so keen-set as youngsters, you know," repl

as Darby, only with a queer man-face an' grown-up arms. Does you call yourself a boy or

sper, at the same time giving her a dig

-twenty last May, the tenth of May," he added thoughtfully. "But I'm not a man as other men.-And you need not mind your sister saying that I'm not grown up," he continued, laying a thin hand on Darby's dark head, "for neither I am-leastways not like other folks.-I'm a dw

k of nothing suitable to say, therefore tactfully held their peace. "I hope I shall, I believe I shall," he added, with a far-away look i

of coughing, which shook his poor fram

air of concern. "Can't you take some nashty medicine

es puts a poultice on when we've got cold," Darby remarked. "I don't s'pose

le another fit of coughing lest it should distress the little ones. "I'll be quite well, in fact-before long, too," he added softly, with his shrunken face raised to

int, old-world way of his which always attracted people greatly even when it most amused the

irmed solemnly, shaking

f got to

on, waving his hand towards the open space, the caravan, the dying fire, and the chained bear, "is not what you're used to; anybody with half an eye could see that-even Joe, although it suits his purpo

sy conscience. She was about to bundle them, clothes and all, into a bed hastily spread upon what to Darby looked like a narrow shelf. He was too sleepy t

into her eyes. "I wants a nightgown, and

hen the blows might have gone round. "I ha'n't got no nightgownd for ee," she went on, in an angry undertone; "but ee can take off yer frock an' wrap

n's knee, with closed eyes and piously-folded hands-a pathetic little figure in her comical att

esus, mee

n a ickl

'I can't

e to com

ld to Thee

ord, forb

n'dom of

e Joan a pl

on her seat, toyed with the amber beads on her neck, but she would not meet the pure gaze fixed upon her; for there was a tre

ut the oldest and sweetest form that sympathy can take. Silently she got to her feet, climbed on Moll's lap, and laid a kiss-light as a snowflake, holy as a benediction, pregnan

ering horses were caught, harnessed, and put in their places; and soon the Satellite Circus Company was on the move once more. For Joe and Moll had not failed to observe the dwarf's openly-evinced interest in their captives; and fearing that he might take it into

their soft young bodies; the monkey curled closer into the warmth of Tonio's black breast; the dwarf sat on his perch above the plodding piebalds, watching the stars and

urred, and could not make out where they were. Oh yes, of course, Darby at length understood. They were in a caravan where they had shel

a standstill, and been drawn up on the edge of a stretch of dreary common; the horses were unyoked, and grazing near by. Along the further boundary of the common wound a broad, level highway, bordered by a