Musgrove, and tell the lady that her child was not dead, as she
believed, but could be restored to her. And, as Ralph had just
said, the legal gentleman soon found that he was going to have the
time of his life overtaking the energetic couple.

"Well," remarked Ralph, in answer to the inquiry of his chum, "she
and her brother actually started with a caravan overland across
China, skirting Thibet, and aiming to head northeast, so as to
pass through a portion of Siberia, and after that reach Russia.
They have been gone a long time now, and I wonder if I will ever
see her face. Sometimes it seems too good to be true."

There was no letter at the post-office for Ralph. He was getting
used to this daily disappointment. Still, Frank could see the look
of pain that flashed across Ralph's fine face, though he tried to
conceal it with a little laugh.

Arrived at his boarding place, the boys entered. It did not take
Ralph long to take a bath, and get into his ordinary clothes,
after which they hurried to the Allen home, where Frank followed
suit.

Although Frank said nothing more about the strange actions of
Minnie, it was very plain to his friend that he felt the snub
deeply.

"If I thought he wouldn't be mad with me, I'd be tempted to try
and find out from Minnie what she meant," Ralph was saying to
himself, as he sat opposite his chum at the table, and noticed the
little frown that occasionally came upon the open countenance of