34 WILD FLOWERS OF THE PACIFIC COAST. 



" I's doing home," with a vigorous kick at the dust. 



" Where is your home, little boy ? ' 



"In heben," he answered. 



I was amused by his answer, and leading him by the hand 

 to a large stone by the roadside, I sat down and questioned him. 

 I found out the little fellow was lost. He did not know in which 

 direction was his home, as he said all of them were right. He 

 wanted to sit on my lap. I took him up, and in a few moments 

 the tired little fellow lay in my arms, asleep. 



The situation was growing interesting. There I sat on the 

 highway with a strange little boy in my arms sound asleep. I 

 was wondering what I should do with him, when a carnage 



O <~J 



drawn by foaming horses came dashing down the road. As they 

 came near me, I heard a scream, so sudden and painful I nearly 

 dropped the child from my lap from fright. The horses stopped, 

 a woman jumped out, and running toward me, she called, "Oh, 

 Richie, darling, has mamma found you ? " and almost snatched 

 the boy from my arms. If she was glad to find her child, I was 

 more than pleased to have him found. Gathering up my 

 sketches, I was about to " move on," when the mother rushed 

 at me. 



"Oh, tell me, where did you find my darling ? I have been 

 nearly wild ! ' I explained, and then she discovered the sketches 

 in my hand. Soon we were very good friends. It ended in my 

 driving with them to their home in one of those beautiful groves 

 of orange trees, from the odor of which one could imagine the 

 procession of a thousand brides passing. 



