58 JUSTIN MORGAN 



His heart sank ; a sudden anxiety seized him. 



Finally Caesar appeared and purred a soft welcome 

 as he rubbed against his old friend's leg. True made 

 hurried enquiries as to his mother's welfare, while Mas- 

 ter Morgan gave "halloo !" for the inmates of the house. 



"Alas," mewed the cat, sitting down to wash his face, 

 "things have changed since you went away. Your 

 mother is sold into the South " 



"Into the South !" interrupted True, but Caesar saw 

 nothing exciting in that, and continued, placidly : 



— "and our master lies ill of the fever, our mis- 

 tress ever at his side and no one to notice me at all. 

 The stables are lonely, even the rats and mice have 

 moved away for lack of food, for the garden and farm 

 are grown up in weeds." And he wiped his paw sur- 

 reptitiously across his eye, curled himself up on a beam 

 and fell asleep. 



The responsive tears filled True's eyes, and he would 

 have roused the cat with other questions but at the mo- 

 ment Mistress Whitman opened the kitchen door. She 

 offered Master Morgan friendly greeting, but when she 

 caught sight of True she ran quickly out and threw her 

 arms about his neck. Her old pet was equally glad to 

 see her and thrust his muzzle into the folds of the white 

 kerchief about her neck and made little affectionate 

 sounds of greeting in reply. 



"Come, True, little pony," she whispered, "he has al- 

 most grieved himself to death at parting from you. The 

 very sight of you will make him better." 



Without ado, she led the horse right up the two stone 

 steps and into the kitchen where once he and his mother 

 had stolen soup out of the pot which was even now 

 swinging from the crane. As he recalled the incident 

 he thrust his wide nostrils forward, but, smiling sadly. 

 Mistress Whitman drew him to the inner door. His 



