Then, some one told him casually that 'Lias was more ailing than usual, and that Margaret was in much trouble.

He was pricked with remorse, but just because Margaret would be sure to question him, a raw shyness came in and held him back from the effort of going.
On the Saturday evening David, having ingeniously given Louie the slip, sped across the fields to the smithy.

It was past five o'clock, and the light was fading.

But the waning gold of the sunset as he jumped the wall on to the moor made the whole autumnal earth about him, and the whole side of the Scout, one splendour.
Such browns and pinks among the withering ling; such gleaming greens among the bilberry leaf; such reds among the turning ferns; such fiery touches on the mountain ashes overhanging the Red Brook! The western light struck in great shafts into the bosom of the Scout; and over its grand encompassing mass hung some hovering clouds just kindling into rosy flame.

As the boy walked along he saw and thrilled to the beauty which lay spread about him.