hen. It was early morning, and the cocks were crowing
lustily. The one old deaf woman was striving to make a fire burn, but
the wood was wet and she found it difficult.

"Where are all the people?" shouted Leo in her ear, for he well knew her
infirmity.

"Gone--all gone," she answered.

"And my father, where is he?"

"In bed yet, and he had better stay there, for I've no breakfast for
him."

Leo suspected what was the matter. Taking a basket from a peg, and a
bowl from the dresser, he went out into the fields. Everything was
sodden with the rain, but the birds were singing with all their might;
those that were not were repairing the ravages of the storm.

"Even the birds are busy at their nests," thought Leo; "everything,
every creature, has its work to do. Shall I alone be idle? Never."

Putting aside the wet boughs, which sprinkled him well, he sought an old
tree-trunk for its store of honey. Filling his bowl with this, and his
basket with fresh eggs, he returned to the monastery. Here he helped the
old woman with the fire, and between them they soon had the kettle
steaming. The tray with his father's breakfast was made ready, and with
his own hands he took it to him.

"Leo, my long-lost son," exclaimed Morpheus at sight of him, "where have
you spent the night?"

"In Dream-land," was Leo's reply; and then, without preface, he asked of
his parent the privilege of looking over his accounts, and doing what he
could to assist him in his difficulties. Morpheus smiled indifferently,
but gave Leo his keys, with permission to do as he pleased.

All the morning Leo puzzled his brain examining books and papers, with
little result. Then he saddled his horse, rode into the nearest town,
and sought a lawyer whom his father knew. To him he related their
grievances, telling him that he was sure their property, well managed,
could be made to yield handsome returns, and informing him of his
wonderful compass, which could indicate the presence of minerals. The
lawyer was not very sanguine, but he put a young clerk in charge of the
matter, who, becoming much interested, looked up his residence at the
monastery, and went to work with diligence. Under his guidance Leo
studied and strove to regain their former prosperity. Laborers were
eager to resume their duties as soon as they saw the prospect of
payment. Crops became abundant. By the aid of Leo's compass--which was
only a scientific novelty yet to be discovered--mines were