hour later, as, with Jumbo lying
comfortably in Drusie's arms, for she said he was too weak to walk,
they were all hurrying home, that they remembered they did not even
know what their new friend's name was, or where he lived.

"Perhaps," said Helen, "he lives at the Grange, and Captain Grey is his
father."

[Illustration: gamekeeper]

"Captain Grey hasn't any children," Drusie said. "I heard nurse say
so."

"Then perhaps he is staying there on a visit," Jim said.

But Drusie did not think that that was likely either, for had not the
gamekeeper said that his master "could not abear boys"? And if that
was the case, he certainly would not have one staying in the house.

But whoever he was, they all four agreed that he was an exceedingly
nice boy, and they hoped that they might meet him again.

[Illustration: Chapter II tailpiece]

[Illustration: Chapter III headpiece]

CHAPTER III.

HAL FINDS A FRIEND.

On their way through the garden they met Hal. Directly they saw him
his brothers and sisters rushed up and told him all about Jumbo's
adventures, and about the boy who had been so kind to them. Hal was
not greatly interested. He was looking pale and listless, and there
were heavy, dark lines about his eyes. When they asked him eagerly if
he knew who the boy could be, he shook his head and yawned, and said
that he was sure he did not know.

"Come and have a game of cricket," he said, rousing himself a little.
"I have got my bat here, and the ball is somewhere about. Just have a
look for it, Tommy. We won't bother about stumps. This tree will do
quite well for the wicket."

"All right," Drusie said, delighted to find that Hal was willing to be
friends again. "I should love a game; but we must put Jumbo and the
other rabbits away first.--Come along, Jim and Helen."

She and Jim ran off at once, but Helen followed more slowly. She had a
shrewd suspicion that Hal merely wanted them to bowl and field for him,
and that he did not intend to allow them to bat. And she did not see
the fun of running about in the hot sun after his balls, if she was not
going to have any of the batting.

But Drusie and Jim were too excited at the prospect of a game to listen
to her words of warning, and as soon as the rabbits had been hastily
bundled into their hutches they raced back to the tree where Hal was
waiting for them.

"You shall bowl first, Jim," he said.--"Drusie, you can stand behind
the tre