rceptible--
start, and glanced at the sturdy youth with a mingled expression of
anxiety and surprise.

The surprise Bob had expected; the anxiety he had hoped for; the start
he had not foreseen, but now perceived and received as a glorious fact!
Oh! Bobby Frog was a deep young rascal! His wild, hilarious, reckless
spirit, which he found it so difficult to curb, even with all
surroundings in his favour, experienced a great joy and sensation of
restfulness in gazing at the pretty, soft, meek face of the little waif.
He loved Martha, but, with all his recklessness, he had not the courage
to tell her so, or to ask the condition of her feelings with regard to
himself.

Being ingenious, however, and with much of the knowing nature of the
"stray" still about him, he hit on this plan of killing two birds with
one stone, as it were, by briefly announcing his intentions to his
mother; and the result was more than he had hoped for.

"Yes, mother, to England--to London. You see, father's last letter was
not at all satisfactory. Although he said he was convalescent and hoped
to be able to travel soon, it seemed rather dull in tone, and now
several posts have passed without bringing us a letter of any kind from
him. I am beginning to feel anxious, and so as I have saved a good bit
of money I mean to have a trip to old England and bring Daddy out with
me."

"That will be grand indeed, my son. But will Mr Merryboy let ye go,
Bobby?"

"Of course he will. He lets me do whatever I please, for he's as fond
o' me as if he were my father."

"No; he ain't that," returned Mrs Frog, with a shake of the head; "your
father was rough, Bobby, specially w'en in liquor, but he 'ad a kind
'art at bottom, and he was very fond o' you, Bobby--almost as fond as he
once was o' me. Mr Merryboy could never come up to 'im in _that_."

"Did I say he came up to him, mother? I didn't say he was as fond o' me
as my own father, but _as if he was_ my father. However, it's all
arranged, and I go off at once."

"Not before breakfast, Bobby?"

"No, not quite. I never do anything important on an empty stomach, but
by this time to-morrow I hope to be far on my way to the sea-coast, and
I expect Martha to take good care of you till I come back."

"I'll be _sure_ to do that," said Martha, looking up in Mrs Frog's face
affectionately.

Bob Frog noted the look, and was satisfied.

"But, my boy, I shan't be here when you come back. You know my vis