"But, dearest dear! that does not prevent my binding myself to you in the most solemn manner for life and until death, and after death and to all eternity, if one may be permitted to do so. And here I swear, under this blue sky and bright moon and in the presence of high heaven, that I will be true to you, Odalite, dearest Odalite, all the days of my life in this world and in the next, forever and ever! But yet I must not bind you by any promise, darling?" "You do not need to, Le," she answered, sweetly and solemnly. "You do not need to bind me by a promise. You know my heart, Le. And you know that you can trust me! No word that might not pass between a brother and a sister will pass between us, for we shall know each other's hearts, and that shall suffice and satisfy us until we meet again, shall it not?" "Yes, Odalite! Yes, dearest dear! Until we meet again! And when we meet again, after my long voyage, by all that is holy and sacred in love and in life neither man nor devil shall part us!" warmly exclaimed Leonidas. "Oh, you mean things!" exclaimed a merry voice behind them. Leonidas and Odalite turned at once to see two little figures in buttoned coats and poke bonnets running toward them, followed by the dog. "Oh, you mean things, you!" continued Wynnette, "to sneak for a walk to Greenbushes, without telling me and Elva a word about it!" "But Joshua told us--he did, indeed! You forgot to untie him when you started, Odalite, and he set up such a howl of anguish and despair that I had to run out to see what was the matter with him," said Elva. "And I had to follow, and I found him telling Elf such a tragic tale of how you and Le had gone off and left him tied up, without even looking behind to bid him good-by, that his heart was quite broken, and he had been trying to hang himself on his own chain ever since!" added Wynnette. "So, you see, I unchained him. But, do you know, he wouldn't go without us? He kept running on a little way and then running back and begging and praying of us to come so hard that at last Wynnette and I went in and put our bonnets and coats and came after you," said Elva. "Joshua knew you were going to Greenbushes, and he wanted to go with you. So did we when he told us where you were gone. You don't deserve such devotion; but you have got it anyway," concluded Wynnette. It seemed rather hard that the children should interrupt the _tete-a-tete_ of lovers who had come out of the house to saunter through the woods on purpose to be alone, and who were so soon to be separated for so long a time; but Leonidas and Odalite took the matter in perfectly good humor, and the four walked on amiably together. They reached Greenbushes in good time, and had a treat of sweet cider, gingerbread and Indian walnuts from Aunt Molly. And after a good rest they set out to return to Mondreer, where they arrived in time for dinner.