Me and Nobbles | Page 7

self to you.'
Then his uncle gave a hearty laugh.
'You and I are going to chum up,' he said, lifting him on the bough by
his side. 'Now tell me more. I want to know you and Nobbles.'
Bobby's tongue was unloosed. For the first time in his short life he had
found a grown-up person who did not consider him a nuisance. He
poured out a strange medley into his astonished and amused uncle's
ears. Imagination was much mixed up with fact, but the one theme that
was the centre of the child's life was his absent father.
'I know he will come for me one day and take me away with himself! I
finks every night when I'm in bed about it. He'll knock at my door
sudden, and I'll say, "Come in." And then I'll see him!'
He gave a little wriggle of ecstasy as he spoke.
'He'll take me straight away. P'raps a cab will be at the door, or a motor,
and we'll go off to the countries over the sea. Me and Nobbles lie very
quiet and listen for the knock when we're in bed. I finks I hears it often,
but it's been a mistake.'
'But I think I should be frightened to go off with a strange man in the
middle of the night,' said his uncle, making a grimace. 'I would rather
have him arrive in the middle of the day.'

'Well, sometimes I'd like him to. Just let me climb a little bit higher.
Would I knock you down if I took hold of your solder very gently to
help me? I want to show you the straight long road he'll come along.
There!'
He had swung himself upon the bough above, his uncle having been
equal to bear his weight.
And now, with eager face, he pointed out the white dusty high-road that
went like a streak of light between rows of flat green meadows, and
disappeared at the top of a hill on the horizon.
'He'll come!' he whispered into his uncle's ear; 'and I shall say good-bye
to the House and go. I'm only waiting. He'll come along that road. I
come here to expec' him every day.'
Not a vestige of doubt in the eager happy voice. His uncle looked at
him in wonder.
'How do you know he hasn't forgotten you? You have never got a letter
from him, have you? And he mightn't want to be bothered with a small
boy.'
But no shadow came across Bobby's earnest, trustful eyes.
'He's my father. He likes me acause I belongs to him. He's the person
that likes me in the earth, and God is the other Person. He's up in
heaven, but I belongs to Him too. And God likes me very much!'
There was supreme self-satisfaction in his tone.
His uncle smiled.
'Your theology doesn't sound right to me. I was always told that it was
only very good boys that were liked by God.'
'Yes, that's what Nurse says; but God says diff'unt to Nobbles and me.
He talks to me sometimes when I'm in bed. He says He'll always like
me for ever and ever, amen!'

There was no irreverence in his tone--only triumphant assurance; and
his uncle was silenced.
'And so I'm just expecking,' went on the small boy; 'and he may come
to-morrow while you're here.'
'That would be first-rate. Now, where shall I find you when I want a
game of hide and seek? Where's your nursery?'
Bobby pointed to the window, which was plainly in sight from the
orchard.
'But how do I get to it?'
'Through the green door.'
'Of course I do. Now I come to think of it, that is our old nursery. We
were shut away from the rest of the house by the baize door. Here's
your nurse looking for you. Good-bye for the present. I'm going out
with your grandmother.'
He left Bobby looking after him with wistful eyes.
'He's just my sort,' he announced to his nurse in his old-fashioned way.
'Me and Nobbles and him will like each other very much.'
'Who are you talking about?' asked Nurse. And Bobby answered,
'Master Mortimer.'
It was two or three days before he saw his uncle again, for he went up
to London on business. Then he entranced the child by taking him
down to the river to fish. That was a red-letter day to Bobby; his tongue
never stopped until he was told he would frighten the fish away, and
then he sat on a fence and gazed at his uncle with adoring eyes. As he
trotted home very tired, but very happy, insisting upon carrying two
good-sized trout, he said, 'I shall do this every day with father, and we'll
cook