Five minutes later, Frank appeared in the distance and hurried forward. Seven years had added a little to the breadth of his shoulders, and the firm self-possession of his step and look; but they had made no other perceptible impression on him. There was, indeed, a deep scar on his right temple; but that was the result of accident, not of time. Many a hairbreadth escape had he made during these seven years of fighting with the flames, and often had his life been in imminent danger; but he was fortunate in having escaped, hitherto, with only a broken leg and a variety of small cuts, scalds, and bruises. The cut on his temple was the severest, and most recent of these. He had got it in a fall through a second floor, which gave way under him as he was attempting to rescue an old bedridden man, who lay in an inner chamber. Frank was carried out in a state of insensibility on the broad shoulders of his friend Baxmore, while Dale rescued the old man. "How goes it, Frank?" cried Willie, advancing and giving his brother's hand a warm shake; "the cut head mending--eh?" "Oh, it's all right," replied Frank, with a smile, as they sauntered up and down by the margin of the pond; "the headaches have left me now, I'm thankful to say, and the-doctor tells me it won't leave much of a mark." "You don't need to care much if it does, for it's an honourable scar, and does not spoil your beauty, old boy." "Well, Willie," said Frank, "here I am at your request. What have you got to tell me; nothing serious, I hope?" The stalwart fireman looked earnestly into his brother's face, and exhibited more anxiety than there seemed to be any occasion for. "No, nothing very serious. It may be serious enough for all I know; but as far as my knowledge goes it's not bad enough to make you look so anxious. Why, what's the matter with you?" "Nothing, Willie. Perhaps my late accident has shaken my nerves a bit." Willie burst into a loud laugh, and said that it was so awfully absurd to hear a man like Frank talking of nerves at all that he could not help it. "Well, but what _is_ the news you've got to tell me?" resumed Frank. "You're not going to be married, are you?" Frank asked this with a look and expression so peculiar that Willie again laughed and said that really he could not understand him at all; for even suppose he had been going to be married, that was no reason why he should take it so much to heart, as the expression on his face implied he did. "Perhaps not, Willie," said Frank with a quiet smile; "but _that_ is not what you want to speak about, then?" "No, certainly not." Frank appeared relieved, and Willie, observing the appearance, said-- "Come, now, I really don't see why you should be so very much pleased to hear that. I'm young, it is true, but I'm old enough, and I have a good business, with brilliant prospects, and there appears to me no reason on earth why I should not marry if I felt so disposed."