off, and in a moment I felt his warm body upon me, and he licked my hands and face, and was so glad! I never saw him so glad: not even just now. Where could he have been all that long time, papa?"

"We believe that we know where Fidelle went to, my dear Bessie," replied her father. "He went after his old master to Ambleside." "Has Mr. Moore been to see us, papa?"

66

Yes, love; he spent an hour or two with your mother and me yesterday in his way from the North; and he was much disappointed not to see you and Fidelle. You were out with your brothers fishing, and we did not know in what direction you were gone."

"How unfortunate!" exclaimed Bessie; "but Fidelle saw him I dare say. O, Fidelle! Fidelle! poor Fidelle! If that was your reason for running away from me, I will not think ill of you any more." And she called the happy little creature to her, and loaded him with

caresses.

66

Bessie, my dear child, come here to me," said her father. Bessie obeyed, and was soon seated upon her father's knee.

"I have one little request to make, which I believe you will very readily grant."

"I know what it is, papa," replied Bessie, colouring a little. "You wish me not to be afraid of going about again with poor Fidelle. Papa, I will not be afraid."

"Nor shall we any of us be afraid," said Mr. Seymour, looking affectionately at his wife as he spoke. "Fidelle has only given us an additional proof of his fidelity and sagacity, in thus visiting his old master."

"But he might have deposited Bessie in the house before he started, the rascal!" said Richard.

"So he might, to be sure," said Mr. Seymour. "But his returning to her at last shews such an amiable and repentant disposition, that we can forgive him; cannot we, Bessie?"

"Yes, papa," replied the little girl. Her mamma added, "that as Mr. Moore was not expected to revisit the North for many years, such an accident was not likely to occur again; and we will write to him," she added, "to give us due notice of his approach in future, that we may all be ready to welcome him." At this moment the servant brought a note in for his master. "How did this note come, John?"

66

By a return chaise from Ambleside, Sir."

Very well; there is no answer." And when the servant had left the room, Mr. Seymour continued, "This is a note from. Mr. Moore, to inform me of Fidelle's visit; and to express a hope that he has reappeared among us, and not caused us any uneasiness by his absence. Here is a message to you, my dear, in the postscript," added Mr. Seymour, handing Mrs. Seymour the note.

"This explains where Bessie was taken to," she said, as she glanced at the note.

"How? How mother?" exclaimed the two boys.

"Mr. Moore tells me that he found the plant I mentioned to him, after much difficulty, growing on the top of Fir Nab."

"Fir Nab, mother!" said Silvester. possible!"

"Im

"The very place that I said all along we ought to examine," said Richard; "don't you remember, father?"

"Indeed I do, my boy; but I considered it so far off, so out of the road, and so inaccessible, that it was quite useless to look up there."

"But it was a very bad road, papa, very,” said Bessie, with a sigh. "If you were up

there," she continued, "you could easily tell whether it is the place; for my gloves are left upon the grass, I believe."

"Let us all go and see," said Mrs. Seymour. "It is a delicious morning after the rain; as full of rejoicing as we are after our distresses. Let us enjoy it. John shall carry you, love, if you like to go with us."

"I should like to go very much, mamma, if you please," replied Bessie; "and I can shew you exactly where I was, and how I put my arms round the tree. I shall know the tree, because I peeled off the bark as much as I could, to amuse myself. It was a birch tree."

The party soon after set out on their little expedition, accompanied by Fidelle. After following the public road some distance, they turned down a cattle track which led to the water's edge, and afterwards crossed a rough wooded field in the direction of Fir Nab.

"Mr. Moore must have come exactly this way. These are the marks of his horse's hoofs."

It

"And a rough road it is for a horse. is bad enough for a lady," said Mr. Seymour, giving his hand to his wife, and assisting her up the steep and broken ascent of the hill. "This

comes of a mania for botany, you will please to observe," added he.

At last, after much toiling and creeping through bushes and briers, the party stood upon the summit of the bold rock, which is called, from its crown of pine trees, Fir Nab. And here they soon found, not only the flower in question, but the pair of gloves, and the peeled birch tree. The party stood round the little girl as she again spoke of the events of the last evening; while Fidelle lay in the sunshine snapping at the flies, in perfect unconcern, as if he had nothing to do with the matter under consideration.

"How far is the edge off from here, papa?" asked the blind child.

"About three yards,” replied Mr. Seymour; and they all turned to look down into the lake below. It was a fearful sight, but no one made any remark. They did not wish that Bessie should know what danger she had been in.

After a few moments' silence, Mr. Seymour called Fidelle to him, and drew out from the spring roller on the collar, the long ribbon which was fastened to it. Then he raised up his little girl, and kissing her, said with a kind, but authoritative tone, " Bessie, my dear,