Harry Milvaine; Or, The Wanderings of a Wayward Boy
Page 45
andquestions asked and answered, and a deal more I have no space tomention.
Eily and Harry went that same evening for a ramble in the forest. Theyfound it just the same. The birds were there, and the bees were there,and the rabbits and weasels and squirrels were there--but poor Towsiethe bull was gone.
They walked home round by Andrew's cottage.
Andrew came rushing to his little gate and held Harry's hand as if in avice, while he pulled him in and seated him in a chair.
Then Harry had all his story to tell over again.
And honest Andrew listened and listened; frequently his eyes wouldbecome moist with tears, when he immediately took a large pinch ofsnuff, for shy, sly Andrew wanted to make believe that it was the snuffthat made his eyes swim, and not downright emotion.
"Man! man!" was Andrew's frequent exclamation, "only to think o' seein'you back again among us!"
"Look!" he said, when Harry finished speaking for the time being."Look!"
Harry looked. Andrew had a tall hat in his hand. It was gloomilybedecked with weepers of crape, as big almost as those worn byhearse-drivers.
"That's my Sunday's hat," said Andrew; "and I've worn it, as you see it,every sabbath since the terrible day when Captain Wayland came here andtold us we would never see you more."
"But I'll take them off now," he added, joyfully.
Honest Andrew did so, folded them up, and put them carefully away in adrawer. Then he heaved a big sigh and took another pinch of snuff.
It was very gratifying to Harry's feelings to find that his littlegarden and boy's bungalow, where the swallow that Eily brought him toldthe story of Africa, had been carefully tended and kept up inside andout.
This was Andrew's doings.
Harry has had many wanderings since then, both by sea and land, butadventures such as those he came through on the dark continent come butonce in a lifetime.
He has been a gallant and good officer.
He has done his duty.
Ah! there is a halo around the head of every one who does his duty, bethat duty high or be it humble.
Harry Milvaine now holds a good appointment in a dockyard, and his leaveis always spent in the Highlands, and honest Andrew and he are as goodfriends as ever.
Though no longer a boy, Raggy is still his faithful servant.
But Harry has promised his mother that ere long he will take leave ofthe service and settle down at home. He will have a flagstaff, however,he says, towering high and mast-like up from the green garden lawn, andproudly on that staff will flutter--
"The flag that braved a thousand years The battle and the breeze."
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The End.