.

Jack's mother had grown much stronger, and there was every hope of her
perfect recovery after a longer residence in their new home.

The evening of the next day after his return home, Jack was sitting
with the others round the stove, and, with his hand clasped tight in
his mother's, gave them an outline of his adventures, through which we
have followed him. They listened breathlessly, and the mother grew
pale at the description of his desertion and subsequent illness. What
risks her child had run!

When he had finished they were all silent for a short time; then his
mother said, 'God has been good to us. Here have we been mourning you
as dead, and all the time He was leading you to us through all these
perils and dangers. Have you forgot the hymns we used to sing at
Longview, Jack?'

'No, Mother; I've sung them many a time. Jeff and Pedro liked to hear
them ever so well. Let's have some to-night.'

'We will, Jack,' said his father. 'It would be quite like the old
days.'

Soon the log-house resounded with their voices as they sang their
favourite hymns. When they had finished up with the last lines of

'And nightly pitch my moving tent
A day's march nearer home.'

Jack exclaimed, 'Somehow I feel as if I've got safe home now!'

'Nay, laddie, not yet,' said his mother gently. 'We can never get to
our true home until we have passed through the dark valley of death.
We are all wanderers here, and in the same way as the thought of this
earthly home and Dad and me cheered you on through your journey, so
should the thought of our heavenly home, and our Father awaiting us,
help us to face the trials and troubles we must meet all our lives
through. And now, my dearie, it's getting late. Let me put you to
bed.'

Shortly after, with her loving kiss on his forehead, Jack, who had so
often felt sad and lonely at Longview, fell asleep with a happy smile
on his face.

For the sake of dead Aunt Sue the Wilsons never wrote a word of
reproach to their deceitful brother-in-law, who left Longview very soon
after Jack's disappearance.

Jack had not seen the last of the good friends he had made on his
journey. He went often to Swift Creek Ranch, where he saw not only the
Stuarts, but also Pedro and Senor at times. Steve became one of Mr.
Stuart's cowboys, where he was perfectly happy and gave every
satisfaction.

Mr. Stuart also promised Jack that when he was old enough, if he still
wished it, he shoul