"Yes," he answered, with glistening eyes, "I will, on my honour, so
help me Sam!" and he kissed the sword.
"Good!" I exclaimed; "thank you, Imp."
"But are you really going away?" he inquired, looking at me with a
troubled face.
"Yes!"
"Must you go?"
"Yes."
"Will you promise to come back some day - soon?"
"Yes, I promise."
"On your honour?"
"On my honour!" I repeated, and in my turn I obediently kissed his
extended sword-hilt.
"Are you going to-night, Uncle Dick?"
"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
button-hole 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.
"And now good-bye, Imp!"
"Good-bye!" he answered, still without looking at me.
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