schoolfellows had been there.

'Now,' said Hannah presently, 'I think you had better go back to Miss Morton.'

'Must I?' asked Jimmy. 'Because I like being here best.'

But she led him back to the dining-room, and as soon as he entered the door Aunt Selina asked what time he went to bed.

'Eight o'clock at school,' he answered, 'but when I am at Aunt Mary's she always lets me stay till half-past.'

'Aunt Mary always spoils you,' said Miss Morton. 'Sit down,' she added, and Jimmy took a chair on the opposite side of the fire-place.

'I suppose you don't remember your mother,' she said.

'No,' answered Jimmy.

'Shall you be glad to see her?' asked Aunt Selina.

'Yes, very glad,' said Jimmy. 'Shan't you?' he asked, looking into his aunt's face.

'Of course I shall be pleased to see my sister,' was the answer.

'And I shall be glad to see Winnie, too,' said Jimmy. But Aunt Selina's words had put a fresh idea into his mind. He seemed never to have realised until now that the mother whom he had never seen, although he had thought about her so much, was his Aunt Selina's sister. He thought that sisters must surely be very much alike; but if his mother was like her sister, why, Jimmy did not feel certain it would be nice to have her home again after all. He forgot that he was staring at his aunt until she asked him what he was looking at.

'Is my mother as old as you?' he asked.

'I cannot say they teach politeness at Miss Lawson's,' Aunt Selina answered.

'But is she?' asked Jimmy, for it seemed very important that he should know at once.

'Your mother is a few years younger than I am,' said his aunt, 'but she would be very angry with you for asking such a question.'

'Can she be angry?' asked Jimmy.

'She will be very angry indeed when you are naughty,' said Miss Morton. For a few minutes Jimmy sat staring into the fire.

'Is—is she like you?' he asked.

'She is not quite so tall.'

'But is she like you?' asked Jimmy.

'We used to be considered very much alike,' was the answer, and Jimmy felt inclined to cry. Then Aunt Selina said it was his bed-time, and he came close to her and kissed her cheek.

'Am I to go to Aunt Ellen's?' he asked.

'I shall not tell you until to-morrow morning,' said Aunt Selina; and Jimmy fell asleep in the large spare room wondering whether he should go to-morrow to Chesterham or not.

CHAPTER V

AT THE RAILWAY STATION

When Jimmy awoke the next morning he found that Hannah was drawing up his blind. The sun-light fell into the room, and the smoke rose from the can of hot water on the wash-stand.

'You must get up at once,' said Hannah, 'or you will be late for breakfast, and Miss Morton won't like that.'

He would have liked to lie in the warm bed a little longer, and when at last he jumped out he felt rather cold. Jimmy was not used to dressing himself quite without help, for at school Miss Roberts had always come to tie his necktie and button his collar. He found it difficult to button it this morning with his cold little fingers; and as for the necktie, it was not tied quite so nicely as it might have been.

Still he was ready when he heard a bell ring, and he ran downstairs two steps at a time, and almost ran against Aunt Selina at the bottom. She looked more stiff and severe in the morning than she had looked last night, and not at all the sort of person you would like to run against.

'Good-morning,' said Jimmy, as she entered the dining-room.

She shook hands with Jimmy and her hand felt very cold; but when once he was seated at the table the coffee was nice and hot, and so were the eggs and bacon, and Jimmy had no time to think of anything else just yet. But just as he was wondering whether he should ask for another rasher of bacon, his aunt spoke to him.

'When you have quite finished,' she said, 'I wish to speak to you,' and after that he did not like to ask for any more.

So Jimmy pushed back his chair, and his Aunt Selina rose from hers and went to stand by the fire.

'I did not wish to tell you last night for fear of exciting you and keeping you awake,' she said, 'but I wrote to your Aunt Ellen while you were having tea.'

'Oh, thank you, I'm glad of that,' answered Jimmy.

'I told her I should send you to Chesterham by the half-past twelve train,' Miss Morton explained, 'and I asked her to meet you at the station.'

'Hurray,' cried Jimmy, 'then I am to go this morning.'

'It is not quite certain yet,' was the answer. 'I asked your Aunt Ellen to send me a telegram if she could receive you. If the telegram arrives before twelve, you will go by the half-past twelve train.'

'But suppose it doesn't come?' said Jimmy.

'I sincerely trust it will,' was the answer.

'So do I,' cried Jimmy.

'I have ordered a packet of sandwiches to be prepared,' said Miss Morton.

'Ham or beef?' asked Jimmy.

'Ham—do you like ham?'

'Oh yes, when there's no mustard,' said Jimmy.

'I told Jones not to have any mustard put on them,' answered his aunt; 'and,' she continued, 'if you go to-day I shall give you half-a-crown.'

'Shan't I have the half-crown if I don't go to-day?' asked Jimmy eagerly.

'I hope you will go,' she said. 'But you must not spend it in waste.'

'I won't,' cried Jimmy.

'I don't suppose you will stay with your Aunt Ellen long,' said Miss Morton, 'because there is no doubt your father and mother will soon be in England, and then they will be able to look after you. Now,' she added, 'if you think you can keep still and not fidget, you may sit down by the window and watch for the telegram.'

Jimmy lifted the tabby cat off the chair, and took it on his knees as he sat down. While he sat stroking the cat he really did not feel much doubt about the telegram. He wanted it to come so much that he felt sure it would come soon, and surely enough it arrived before eleven o'clock.

Jimmy rose from his chair as Jones brought it into the room on a tray, and the tabby cat dug its claws into his jacket and clung to him, so that Jimmy found it rather difficult to put it down. He did not take his eyes from Miss Morton's face all the time she was reading the telegram.

'It is extremely fortunate I wrote yesterday,' she exclaimed.

'Am I to go?' asked Jimmy eagerly.

'Yes,' she answered, 'and who do you think will meet you at Chesterham station?'

'Not mother!' cried Jimmy, very excitedly.

'Your father and mother,' said Miss Morton.

'And Winnie?'

'They are not likely to take a child to meet you,' she answered. 'They arrived only last night, and if they had not received my letter they would have gone to Ramsgate to-day. As it is they will meet you at the station, and they think it will be quite safe for you to travel alone if I see you safely in the train.'

'Shall you?' asked Jimmy.

'I shall send Jones,' was the answer.

'What time does the train get to Chesterham?' asked Jimmy.

'At four o'clock,' she said; and then she took out her purse and found two shillings and a sixpence, which she gave to Jimmy. 'Where will you put them?' she asked.

'I've got a purse, too,' he answered, and he put his hand in his jacket pocket and brought out a piece of string, a crumpled handkerchief, a knife, and last of all a small purse. In this he put the two shillings and the sixpence, and then he could think of nothing but the joy of seeing his mother and father. He stood by the window watching the passers-by and wondering whether his mother was like any of them, and at least he hoped that she might not be so very much like his Aunt Selina. He went in search of Hannah and told her all about the telegram. He longed for the time to come to start for the station, and when he saw his boxes being taken out to the cab, he danced about the hall in a manner which made Miss Morton feel