But Mr. Harris's face, it appeared, did not please little Jack, for he
clung more closely to his mother.

"Hold!" said Harris, "you do not want me to embrace you? You are afraid
of me, my good little man?"

"Excuse him, sir," Mrs. Weldon hastened to say. "It is timidity on his
part."

"Good! we shall become better acquainted," replied Harris. "Once at the
Farm, he will amuse himself mounting a gentle pony, which will tell him
good things of me."

But the offer of the gentle pony did not succeed in cajoling Jack any
more than the proposition to embrace Mr. Harris.

Mrs. Weldon, thus opposed, hastened to change the conversation. They
must not offend a man who had so obligingly offered his services.

During this time Dick Sand was reflecting on the proposition which had
been made to them so opportunely, to gain the Farm of San Felice. It
was, as Harris had said, a journey of over two hundred miles, sometimes
through forests, sometimes through plains--a very fatiguing journey,
certainly, because there were absolutely no means of transport.

The young novice then presented some observations to that effect, and
waited for the reply the American was going to make.

"The journey is a little long, indeed," replied Harris, "but I have