in a mingled company, made one by their careless hearts.

One evening in April, on the twelfth anniversary, when Young Gerard
came to gather his flock, a lamb was missing; so to escape a scolding
he waited awhile on the hills till Old Gerard should be gone about his
business. What this was Young Gerard did not know, he only knew that
each year on this night the old shepherd left him to his own devices,
and returned in the small hours of the morning. Not therefore until he
judged that the master must have left the hut, did the boy fold his
sheep; and this done he ran out on the hills again, seeking the lost
lamb. For careless though he was he cared for his sheep, as he did for
all things that ran on legs or flew on wings. So he went swinging his
lantern under the stars, singing and whistling and smelling the spring.
Now and then he paused and bleated like a ewe; and presently a small
whimper answered his signal.

"My lost lamb crying on the hills," said Young Gerard. He called again,
but at the sound of his voice the other stopped, and for a moment he
stood quite still, listening and perplexed.

"Where are you, my lamb?" said he.

"Here," said a little frightened voice behind a bush.

He laughed aloud and went forward, and soon discovered a tiny girl
cowering under a thorn. When she saw him she ran quickly and grasped
his sleeve and hid her face in it and wept. She was small for her
years, which were not more than eight.

Young Gerard, who was big for his, picked her up and looked at her
kindly and curiously.

"What is it, you little thing?" said he.

"I got lost," said the child shyly through her tears.

"Well, now you're found," said Young Gerard, "so don't cry any more."

"Yes, but I'm hungry," sobbed the child.

"Then come with me. Will you?"

"Where to?"

"To a feast in a palace."

"Oh, yes!" she said.

Young Gerard set her on his shoulder, and went back the way he had
come, till the dark shape of his wretched shed stood big between them
and the sky.

"Is this your palace?" said the child.

"That's it," said Young Gerard.

"I didn't know palaces had cracks in the walls," said she.

"This one has," explained Young Gerard, "because it's so old." And she
was satisfied.

Then she asked, "What is that funny tree by the door?"

"It's a cherry-tree."

"My father's cherry-trees have flowers on them," said she.

"This one hasn't," said Young Gerard, "because it's not old enough."

"One day w