Nothing however was to be seen.

Yet so impressed had he been that he walked to the door and stepped from the porch to discover the intruder.

The clearing was deserted, there was a slight rustling in the adjacent laurels, but no human being was visible.
Nevertheless the old feeling of security and isolation which had never been quite the same since Mr.McKinstry's confession, seemed now to have fled the sylvan school-house altogether, and he somewhat angrily closed his desk, locked it, and determined to go home.
His way lay through the first belt of pines towards the mining-flat, but to-day from some vague impulse he turned and followed the ridge.

He had not proceeded far when he perceived Rupert Filgee lounging before him on the trail, and at a little distance further on his brother Johnny.

At the sight of these two favorite pupils Mr.Ford's heart smote him with a consciousness that he had of late neglected them, possibly because Rupert's lofty scorn of the "silly" sex was not as amusing to him as formerly, and possibly because Johnny's curiosity had been at times obtrusive.