And "Percival!" from them all in all their different keys, and he among them before the train was stopped, and turning from glad face to glad face, and caught up in the midst of it with a sudden wave of the old thought, like a knock at the heart, like a catch at the throat--"How jolly, jolly good they all are to me!" Like a knock at the heart, like a catch at the throat, it took him, and checked him a moment in his responses to the congratulations and was mirrored in the flicker that went across his face. His eyes caught Japhra's and it was the look of understanding he read there, he thought, that brought Japhra to him for another word before he drove away. In the station yard the traps were waiting. "You, longside o' me--_partner_!" bellowed Mr. Hannaford and must shake Percival's hand again for the meaning of that word. "Up behind, Ima, my dear. We'll take _partner_ home while Stingo leaves that box at the farm and then comes on with the rest of the luggage." Plump Mr. Purdie and birdlike little Miss Purdie had started to walk; Stingo was throating "Come along, Japhra, come along, Japhra," in a husky whisper that no one could hear but himself; Mr. Hannaford was beginning the tremendous operation of hoisting himself up on one side of the cart while Percival, a foot on the step, was about to swing himself up on the other, when Japhra turned and came back to him. "Thy hand a last time, master!" "Hullo, what's this for?" Percival laughed; but saw Japhra's face grave, and went on: "You caught my eye on the platform just now, Japhra. I saw you knew how I felt. That's it, eh?" "Something of that," Japhra answered him. "Ay, a thought of that came to me then." The note of his voice was as earnest as his eyes, and he added, "Master, there was another matter to it that I saw." "Well, you were always the thought-reader," said Percival, and smiled at him quizzically. "What was it, Japhra?" "That thou art out for something else than we know." "You could see that? Well, you shall know to-morrow." The earnest look in Japhra's eyes went deeper. "Comes it so soon?" "A few hours, Japhra." There came an impatient hail from Mr. Hannaford, settled at last in the trap above them. "Well, press my hand to it," Japhra said; and as he held Percival's hand, "press--let me feel thy grip, master. Something bids me to it. Ay, thou art strong. Be strong in thine hour." As the trap swung out of the station yard Percival saw him still standing there as though he still would speed that message. He turned about in his seat to elude Ima in his chatter with Mr. Hannaford, and they were not two miles upon the road before he was launched upon what gave him need for strength. II