Me and Nobbles | Page 7

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 our brekfus ourselves.'
'May he never disappoint you!'
Mr. Mortimer murmured the words, and happily Bobby did not hear them. That evening he and Nobbles were too excited to sleep. In rehearsing his day to himself, Bobby began to think of many such blissful times in the future; he pictured them to Nobbles, his father being the centre-piece. And then he stopped talking and began to listen for the knock that was to come. There was great silence in the nursery. Nurse had gone downstairs to her supper, leaving the night-light as usual upon the washing-stand in the corner of the room. Suddenly Bobby sprang up, his cheeks flushed a deep crimson, his little heart galloping wildly, There was no possible mistake this time. A sharp rat-tat on his door.
'Come in!'
How often he had rehearsed his answer to the knock! Why was it that his voice was so