Comethup made the most of those few hours. In quite a systematic fashion he went from place to place that he had known, going first to his father's house, and looking up at the shuttered windows, for the place had been closed, and the captain had the key until after the sale. The boy wandered through the garden of the roses, and into every nook and corner wherein he had played so often in those earlier years; thence into the churchyard, with no feeling of fear, and scarcely one of any very deep sorrow. The place was so quiet and lay so calmly in the sunshine, and the birds fluttered and chirped so gayly about it, that it seemed a good thing that the two gentle creatures, who had loved each other and him so well, should be sleeping quietly there. He stole into the church, sat down in the captain's pew, and thought of all that had happened since last he sat there. But he was young, and there were living things to be seen, and he did not remain there long. He ran hard to the captain, only to discover that that gentleman was out. The man Homer informed him that the captain had gone out immediately after breakfast, and had not said when he would return. Comethup, after waiting impatiently a little while, saluted Homer, and then shook hands with him and went away. The day seemed marked out for disappointment. 'Linda was not in the garden, and when, taking his courage in both hands, he knocked boldly at the door of Dr. Vernier's house, there was no response. Nor was she to be discovered in the shop of Medmer Theed; and that strange old man himself appeared to be so frantically busy that he hammered away as if for dear life, and scarcely returned Comethup's greeting. The boy wandered disconsolately out on to the sandy wastes beyond the town, looking keenly in all directions, in the hope of seeing a familiar figure. But no one was in sight, and when presently he heard the clock of the old church chime the three quarters he hurried back to the inn. "Well," cried Miss Carlaw as he entered, "have you got it all over, eh?" "I haven't seen any one," said Comethup. "Ah, that's unfortunate. But I can't give you any more hours, you know. Too much emotion isn't good for the young, and you've had a week of it. Come, eat your lunch." The carriage was at the inn door exactly to the minute, and the small luggage put upon it. Comethup, before he followed his aunt into the vehicle, looked wistfully up and down the street, but no one he knew was in sight. Their way, however, lay past the captain's cottage, and there, to his infinite delight, was the captain at his garden gate, shading his eyes with his hand and looking up and down the road. "Oh, please," cried Comethup, frantically, "please may we stop?" "What the devil for?" asked Miss Carlaw, sharply. "Oh, there's the captain, standing at his gate, looking for me. I really can't go without saying good-bye to him." "All right; I suppose you must. Call to the man to stop. A minute, mind, no longer."