"Then let's go away together, Uncle Dick, do!"
"Impossible, my Imp; who will look after your Auntie Lisbeth and Dorothy and Louise?"
"And they need a deal of taking care of," I added.
"'Fraid they do," he nodded; "but there's Peter," he suggested, brightening.
"Peter certainly knows how to look after horses, but that is not quite the same. Lend me your 'trusty sword.'"
He rose, and drawing it from his belt, handed it to me with a flourish.
"You remember in the old times, Imp, when knights rode out to battle, it was customary for them when they made a solemn promise to kiss the cross-hilt of their swords, just to show they meant to keep it. So now I ask you to go back to your Auntie Lisbeth, to take care of her, to shield and guard her from all things evil, and never to forget that you are her loyal and true knight; and now kiss your sword in token, will you?" and I passed back the weapon.
"Yes," he answered, with glistening eyes, "I will, on my honour," and he kissed the sword.
"But are you really going away?" he inquired, looking at me with a troubled face.
"Will you promise to come back some day--soon?"
"On my honour!" I repeated, and in my turn I obediently kissed his extended sword-hilt.
"I start very early in the morning, so you see we had better say 'good-bye' now, my Imp."
"Oh!" he said, and stared away down the river. Now, in the buttonhole of my coat there hung a fading rosebud which Lisbeth had given me two days ago, and acting on impulse, I took it out.
"Imp," I said, "when you get back, I want you to give this to your Auntie Lisbeth and say--er--never mind, just give it to her, will you?"
"Yes, Uncle Dick," he said, taking it from me, but keeping his face turned away.
"Good-bye!" he answered, still without looking at me.
He thrust out a grimy little palm, and as I clasped it I saw a big tear roll down his cheek.
"You'll come back soon--very soon--Uncle Dick?"
And thus it was we parted, the Imp and I, beneath the "blasted oak," and I know my heart was strangely heavy as I turned away and left him.
After I had gone some distance I paused to look back. He still stood where I had left him, but his face was hidden in his arms as he leaned sobbing against the twisted trunk of the great tree.