‘See here, Grizzly,’ he said, setting down the bowl upon a rustic table, and placing his arm affectionately round his friend’s neck, ‘don’t you ever say that again. If there is anything good enough for you in the wide world, the Markhams have got to find it out. Just you remember that. Where should I be to-day if it hadn’t been for you? Lying under the ground alongside that pesky colonel, as you called him.’ Then as Ephraim was silent, he went on: ‘I can’t do much, you know, Grizzly, for I’m only a boy, and a lame one at that; but I’ve got a piece of news for you, just to show that we are not ungrateful. Father has arranged with Mr Coulter that, as soon as you are able for it, you are to go into the works as assistant mechanical engineer. Then, when the war is through, he’s going to send you to college, so the loss of the pile doesn’t matter after all. Meantime, till you go to college, you are to live with us.’ Ephraim’s great eyes swam in tears. He caught Luce’s hand in both his own and fondled it. ‘Shucks! Luce,’ he muttered brokenly. ‘What a fuss ter make about a little thing. I han’t never took any count er thet, seein’ it war done fer you.’ THE END. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES 1. Silently corrected typographical errors and variations in spelling. 2. Archaic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings retained as printed. 3. Enclosed italics font in _underscores_. End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Blue Balloon, by Reginald Horsley