round, and seeing nothing, thought himself mistaken
in the sound, and began to pace on. Then Felix, in terror, gave another
shout, this time louder, and at the same moment a little twig he was
pressing with his elbow broke away and dropped, striking against the
count's stirrup; for the bridle-path wound directly under the tree where
Felix was perched.

The count instantly checked his horse again, and, peering up into the
boughs overhead, he caught sight of Felix, his yellow hair wet with dew
and shining in the moonlight, and his dark eyes wide with fear.

"Heigh-ho!" exclaimed the count, in blank amazement. "Upon my word, now!
what art thou--boy or goblin?"

At this Felix gave a little sob, for he was very tired and very cold. He
hugged the tree tightly, and, steadying himself against the boughs, at
last managed to falter out: "Please thee, sir, I am Felix Michaud, and my
lamb Beppo, who was to ride in the Christmas procession, ran off to-day,
and--and--I have been hunting him, I think, ever since--since yesterday!"
Here poor Felix grew a trifle bewildered; it seemed to him so very long
ago since he had set out in search of Beppo. "And I live in Sur Varne."

At this the count gave a long whistle. "At Sur Varne!" he exclaimed. "If
thou speakest truly, my little man, thou hast indeed a sturdy pair of legs
to have carried thee thus far." And he eyed curiously Felix's dusty little
feet and leathern leggings, dangling limply from the bough above him.
"Dost thou know how far distant is Sur Varne from this forest?"

"Nay, sir," answered Felix; "but I trow 't is a great way."

"There thou art right," said the count; "'t is a good two leagues, if it
is a pace. But how now? Thou canst not bide here to become the prey of
hungry wolves, my little night-owl of the yellow hair!"

And thereupon Count Bernard dexterously raised himself in his stirrups,
and, reaching upward, caught Felix in his arms and swung him down plump on
the saddle-bow in front of him; then, showing him how to steady himself by
holding the pommel, he turned to Brian, his squire, who while all this was
going on had stood by in silent astonishment, and giving the order to
move, the little cavalcade hastened on at a rapid pace in order to get
clear of the forest as quickly as possible.

Meantime the Count Bernard, who was really a very kind and noble lord, and
who lived in a beautiful castle on the farther verge of the forest, quite
reassured Felix by talking