The next day, the "sodger's laddie," as Tam was called, having in the meanwhile been found, the grey-headed old crofter and his wife, both of them bent with toil and drooping with care, once more made their way over the hills to Braemar; Tam, downhearted, demure, and in his Sabbath claes, padding the turf by their side. Arrived at their destination, Tam hung a low head; for in front of the house was congregated a little party, chiefly of children, preparing to set out for a ride; among the number being the two young gentlemen whom he knew. The elder of them, the Prince of Wales, at once recognising his antagonist of three days ago, stepped up to him and said, with a frank and kindly smile: "Good-morning, Tam! You haven't forgotten me, have you?" Tam uttered a barely audible "Nae." "And you hold no grudge against me for throwing your stick in the river, do you?" Another demure "Nae" found its way between Tam's half-closed teeth; but this time he allowed his blue eyes to meet the young Prince's in a surprised gaze. "Then let us shake hands and be friends," said the Prince. Tam extended his brown paw, and they clasped in token of mutual goodwill. The little scene transacted itself almost as quickly as it can be read--so quickly, indeed, that Tam's grandparents witnessed it in mute astonishment; and before they had recovered their self-possession, the Lady who had called at the hut on Tam's account issued from the house, looking much as she had done the previous day, with the exception that a broad-brimmed straw hat covered her head in place of a sun-bonnet. "So you found the little runagate, did you?" said she, addressing the old folks. "Yes, madam," replied Donal. "Mister Fargus found him at night in a cave in the birch-wood above the burn." "What made you run away, Tam?" said the Lady, turning to the youth. Tam was silent. "Tell me. You need not be afraid." "I thought mebbe I had hurt him"--with a nod in the direction of the Prince. "Oh, you didn't hurt me! You only brought a little of the red juice out of my nose, and that can hurt nobody," said the Heir-Apparent. Prince Alfred, who was standing by, smiled at his brother's sally, as did also the Lady in the straw hat. Tam laughed outright. He had never heard or known of a bleeding nose being treated so lightly, and at the same time so funnily. His poor grandparents, however, were shocked at his levity, and Yetta gave him a vigorous nudge to recall him to a due sense of his position. "If you like," said the Prince, "I'll give you one of my sticks in place of the one I threw away," adding, with nice diplomacy, "but I can tell you it's too proud a stick to hit a dog." Tam smiled, and said he would not use it in that way. "And I think we must ask you to promise not to think of ever running away from your grandparents," said the Lady. That seemed to strike Tam as a large order. "I wouldna like to bide on the croft when I get bigger."