Page:The New-Year's Bargain (1884).djvu/165

 less, his strength seemed to go too; and, little by little, I drew him along to where the children lay. He was almost upon them before he knew it. There they were, fast asleep,—Tom in Alice's lap, and Nora hugged tight in Jack's arms.

"Well, you never saw any one behave as Mr. Brown did. He was like a crazy person. He felt the warm little hands and the round cheeks, as if he couldn't believe his eyes; and made inarticulate sounds over them, like some loving dumb animal. The sailors lifted them, still asleep, and wrapped them warmly; but, just as they were moving off, Jack roused. There was a stamping, bellowing sound in the brush-wood near by.

There's the buffalo again!' he cried. 'Catch him, Reggy!' Then, waking more completely, 'Why, it's Papa! O Papa, don't let's leave the buffalo behind!'

Buffalo!' said one of the men. 'There's no buffalo, sir. That's one of Farmer New-