They raised the lad between them, and soon had the satisfaction of seeing him open his eyes, and draw in a long breath; and then, after once or twice stretching himself, and feeling his chest and ribs, declare that he wasn't a pin the worse, and would be ready for his dinner, as soon as ever Kobo could supply him with any! CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR. THE LONG-EXPECTED ARRIVAL--CAPTAIN WILMORE'S NARRATIVE--THE TUTELARY SPIRIT--LION TO THE RESCUE--PLANS FOR THE FUTURE--THE FUTURE CHURCH. It was not until quite late on the morning after the departure of the boys, that the fact became known to De Walden and Ernest. It chanced to be the day appointed by the missionary for the baptism of two of his adult converts, for whom Ernest and Ella were to act as sponsors. In the interest of the occasion, the absence of the two boys was not noticed; and it was not until after the conclusion of the rite, that Ernest, happening to enter Frank's sleeping room, to ask some casual question of him, saw the note left on the table. As soon as he had read it, he repaired to his friend's apartment, and the two held an anxious consultation as to the course which, under the circumstances, it would be most expedient for them to pursue. De Walden knew--what none of the three lads could surmise--how great was the danger incurred by the truants, and how slender the hope of their succeeding in carrying out their projected scheme. They must be pursued, and overtaken, and warned of their peril, whatever might be the risk or fatigue incurred by so doing. If, after such warning, they persisted in their rash enterprise, they could not, of course, be prevented from pursuing it; but the blame would then rest wholly with themselves. They were still engaged in arranging their plans for immediate pursuit, when Ella entered the room where they were seated, with tidings which were even more unexpected than those they had that morning received. "My father," she said--so she always addressed De Walden--"the visitors you and Ernest have been so long expecting, have arrived, and are now with my mother. Will you come and see them?" "The visitors, Ella!" exclaimed Warley, starting up. "Whom can you mean?--not Lavie surely--" "Yes, he is one," returned Ella, "and there is a captain, an English captain. He is Frank's father or uncle--" "Captain Wilmore!" cried Warley. "Has he fallen in with Frank?" "No, we have told him that he and Gilbert have gone off by themselves, and that they cannot be very far off, and he means to go in search of them, I believe. But he wants to see you first." De Walden and Ernest hastened to the Queen's apartment, and were soon exchanging a cordial grasp of the hand with the new-comers.