and his father had both said things that neither could
win over, and the lad had gone proudly down the hill with but a few
shillings in his pocket. Since then there had been ten years of
anxious, longing grief that had remained unconfessed until this night.
Now the hearts of both yearned for their lost son. But how should they
find him? Andrew read nothing but his Bible and almanac; he had no
conception of the world beyond Kendal and Keswick. He could scarcely
imagine David going beyond these places, or, at any rate, the coast of
Scotland. Should he make a pilgrimage round about all those parts?

Mysie shook her head. She thought Andrew had better go to Keswick and
see the Methodist preacher there. She had heard they travelled all
over the world, and if so, it was more than likely they had seen Davie
Cargill; "at ony rate, he would gie advice worth speiring after."

Andrew had but a light opinion of Methodists, and had never been
inside the little chapel at Sinverness; but Mysie's advice, he
allowed, "had a savor o' sense in it," and so the next day he rode
over to Keswick and opened his heart to John Sugden, the
superintendent of the Derwent Circuit. He had assured himself on the
road that he would only tell John just as much as was necessary for
his quest; but he was quite unable to resist the preacher's hearty
sympathy. There never were two men more unlike than Andrew Cargill and
John Sugden, and yet they loved each other at once.

"He is a son o' consolation, and dootless ane o' God's chosen," said
Andrew to Mysie on his return.

"He is a far nobler old fellow than he thinks he is," said John to his
wife when he told her of Andrew's visit.

John had advised advertising for Davie in "The Watchman;" for John
really thought this organ of the Methodist creed was the greatest
paper in existence, and honestly believed that if Davie was anywhere
in the civilized world "The Watchman" would find him out. He was so
sure of it that both Mysie and Andrew caught his hopeful tone, and
began to tell each other what should be done when Davie came home.

Poor Mysie was now doubly kind to wee Andrew. She accused herself
bitterly of "grudging the bit lammie his story-books," and persuaded
her husband to bring back from Keswick for the child the "Pilgrim's
Progress" and "The Young Christian." John Sugden, too, visited them
often, not only staying at Cargill during his regular appointments,
but often riding over to take a day's re