As he said, on their last day before reaching the Cochrane, David's going was like taking a part of his heart away.

He blinked now, as he dropped David's hand--blinked and turned his eyes.

And David's voice had an odd break in it.

He knew what the Missioner was thinking.
"I'll come back, _mon Pere_," he called after him, as Father Roland broke away and went toward Mukoki and the dogs.

"I'll come back next year!" Father Roland did not look back until they were started.