they both stood looking down upon his sweet round face.

"Poor little waif," Mrs. Royal remarked. "He is somebody's child, and
perhaps his mother is longing for him at this very moment."

"There is no doubt about it," her husband replied. "That sob which I
heard to-night is still ringing in my ears, and I know it was the sob
of a heart-broken mother."




CHAPTER II

GIVING AND RECEIVING

The baby awoke bright and early the next morning, in fact too early for
Mr. and Mrs. Royal. The former, especially, enjoyed the hour from six
to seven, when, as he once said, he obtained his "beauty sleep." But
the little stranger of the night was no respecter of persons. He
lifted up his voice at the unnatural hour of five, and by means of a
series of gurgles, whoops, and complaints, drove all sleep from drowsy
eyes. He was not in the least abashed in the presence of strangers,
but standing in his crib, he rattled the side, and yelled shouts of
baby defiance at the other occupants of the room.

"I didn't know that he could stand alone," the parson remarked as he
first saw Rodney scramble to his feet. "How old do you suppose he is?"

"About fourteen months, I should judge, Daniel," his wife replied. "He