He learnt with amazing rapidity.

He was, his nurse repeatedly told his father, "a most remarkable child." It could not truthfully be said that during these weeks he forgot his friend altogether.

There were still the dark hours at night when he longed for him, and once or twice he had cried aloud for him.

But slowly that slipped away.

He did not look often now at the fountain.
There were times when his friend was almost there.