"Something that is hardly ever out of my thoughts," he answered gravely. "Speaking of my old home brought it back----" "Your father?" queried Warren; and Ralph nodded. "It must be precious hard for you," the monitor said. "I think that if I were in your place I should go silly." "No, you would do what I do, old fellow; just pray to God to bring things right. I felt bad at first, and it was Mrs. St. Clive who taught me to be brave." "I like her," remarked Warren, with a nod. "She is awfully nice, Ralph. I wonder if ever you will hear anything about your father?" "Yes," came the confident answer. "I feel sure that I shall; and sometimes, Warren, it may seem strange, but it comes to me that he is not dead, and that he will come back!" "But if he were not dead he would not have gone off and left you all alone like this," objected Warren. "I should not think that." "He may not be able to help it. There, we won't talk of it; only I cannot help thinking like that sometimes. Where is Charlton?" The question brought the fact out that they were alone; their companion had gone off and left them there while they were talking. "Now, where has that silly chap got to?" queried Warren, sitting up. "Gone after a butterfly, perhaps. He will soon be back." "But it is time that we began to move. He is such a silly fellow that he is as like as not to go and lose himself. Hallo! Charlton! Charlton! Coo-ee! Charlton!" They paused and waited, but no reply came; and Warren got up, a trifle cross. "Of all the silly kites!" he said. "What trouble has he got into now? Charlton, I say, where are you?" "Better let us go and have a look for him," said Ralph; and the two started, Warren grumbling all the way, until in response to their shouts, they heard an answering call, and saw their companion appear. "Well, you stupid!" began Warren; but Ralph checked him, for the other boy looked scared and pale. "Why, what is the matter?" he asked. "You look as if you had been scared. Has any one frightened you?" "I! Any one frightened me? Oh, no!" answered Charlton quickly. "How silly! Who could be with me? I got lost--and lost my head! I felt a little afraid, until I heard you call." "We have been shouting for the last half hour!" grumbled Warren. "Come along! We shall be late for tea!" But Ralph said nothing. He was puzzled. The spot where they stood was damp and clayey; and on the soft ground were the imprints of two pairs of feet, going towards the bushes from which Charlton had emerged. Of those footprints, one set was a boy's, and evidently made by his chum; the other set was a man's. Charlton said that he had been alone, but Ralph knew better. A man had been with his chum, but who was that man? Was he the one who had broken into the school the previous night? CHAPTER X COUNSELS AND PROMISES "My dear lad, it certainly is very strange. You seem, since your arrival in England, to be surrounded with mysteries."