tanding by the boy's side, waiting to see what success
the young hunters had achieved.

They looked to see their brother disappointed and ready to upbraid them
with going and leaving him behind; but they were surprised, for the boy
saluted them with:

"Well, where's the fat buck?"

"Oh," said Bald shortly, "we had a splendid run, but the dogs were so
stupid that he managed to get away. But you ought to have been there:
it was grand."

"Was it?" said Alfred coolly. The news did not seem to trouble him in
the least. He noticed, though, that the three boys were so tired out
that not one of them seemed to care for his supper, and directly after
they went off to bed.

CHAPTER FIVE.

BEGINNING TO BE GREAT.

The boys had some fresh plan for the next day, and when Alfred went up
to bed they were all whispering eagerly; but as soon as their brother
entered the room they pretended to be asleep.

Alfred said nothing till he was undressed and about to get into his bed,
and then he only wished them good night.

There was no reply, and the boy felt hurt; but just then he recollected
something which made him clap his right hand first to his cheek and then
to his forehead, as if he fully expected to find both places still wet
and warm. They felt still as if his mother's lips had but just left
them.

From that moment Alfred lay quite still in the darkness, feeling very
happy and contented, till all at once a long-drawn restful sigh escaped
his lips, and he was just dropping off to sleep when he awoke again and
lay listening, for his three brothers, believing that he had gone off to
sleep, began talking again in an eager whisper, but what about he could
not tell, till all at once Red said something about "otters."

They were going to have a grand otter hunt up the little Wantage stream
with the dogs; and for a few moments a feeling of bitter disappointment
came over the boy, for he had looked forward to the day when that hunt
would take place.

He felt better when he recalled the Queen's words as he wished her good
night. They were:

"I am so glad, Fred, my boy. You have made me feel very happy."

"Father Swythe must have told her what I said," thought Alfred, and in
another minute he was asleep.

The next morning after breakfast the boy did not feel half so brave, and
he was thinking of how he could get away to the monk's quiet cell-like
room without his brothers seeing him; but he was spared from all troub