shaking your head so?"

"Ay, young master, I be in a sorrowful plight. My donkey has strayed
away and I cannot find she nowheres. I've been up over the hills, and
not a sign of she! And it's to-morrow that's market day, and how I'm to
get my veggetubbles to town is more'n I can tell 'ee!"

"She can't be lost; when did you have her last?"

"'Twas yest'day mornin'. Ay, she be just a kickin' up her heels miles
away and a laughin' at her poor old master. She be a terrible beast for
strayin', and I just let her out on the green for a bit thinkin' to give
her a pleasure, and that's how she treats me, the ungrateful creature! I
heerd she were seen on the hills, but I'm a weary of trampin' up and
down 'em."

"We'll go out on the hills and look for her this afternoon," said Roy,
eagerly.

"If Aunt Judy will let us," added Dudley.

But Miss Bertram having gone out to lunch with some friends could not be
asked, so the two boys set out after their early dinner with light
hearts.

"It's doing old Roger good, and ourselves too," said Roy; "I'm longing
to have a good outing, and we needn't be back very early, for granny
isn't well enough to see us to-day, nurse said."

It was a delicious afternoon for a ramble; a soft breeze was blowing,