That's the way I used to do back home on the mountain, you see,--tell him about things.

Lots of days we'd go to walk; then, when we got home, he'd have me tell him, with my violin, what I'd seen.

And now he says I'm to stay here." "Here!" It was the quick, stern voice of Simeon Holly.
"Yes," nodded David earnestly; "to learn about the beautiful world.
Don't you remember?
And he said I was not to want to go back to my mountains; that I would not need to, anyway, because the mountains, and the sky, and the birds and squirrels and brooks are really in my violin, you know.

And--" But with an angry frown Simeon Holly stalked away, motioning Larson to follow him; and with a merry glance and a low chuckle Higgins turned his horse about and drove from the yard.

A moment later David found himself alone with Mrs.Holly, who was looking at him with wistful, though slightly fearful eyes.
"Did you have all the breakfast you wanted ?" she asked timidly, resorting, as she had resorted the night before, to the everyday things of her world in the hope that they might make this strange little boy seem less wild, and more nearly human.
"Oh, yes, thank you." David's eyes had strayed back to the note in his hand.