to fan his heated face with a red
pocket-handkerchief. "James Seton's got some guinea-pigs that he talks
of bringing over for you to see, any day as you'll fix upon."

"Oh, that _is_ nice. I do so long to have another!" cried Bobbie
rapturously. "I only want three-halfpence-farthing more, and I shall
have enough in my money-box to pay for it. Will James wait till
Friday?"

"Of course he will, Master Bobbie; don't you worry your head about
that."

"Well, it's an extraordinary thing, Jeptha, but you can't think how
I've been saving, and saving, and _saving_ for that guinea-pig; and it
seems as if I never _should_ have enough," said Bobbie confidentially.
"I saved up for 'Funnel'--the one that's called after you, you
know--in no time; but we were up in Scotland then, and there wasn't
hardly any shops that I _could_ spend my money in."

"Things always _do_ seem a long time a-coming when you're longing for
them, so to speak, day and night, sir."

"Yes, it's quite true that 'a watch-pocket never boils,'" said Bobbie.
"I shall leave off rattling the money-box, and try and forget all
about it till Friday."

"You're right there, sir," said Jeptha, not noticing the new rendering
of the proverb, for he was as fond of long words and sentences as
Bobbie himself; "you come right up to the cottage on Friday, along of
nurse and Miss Jerry. The missus 'll have tea for you, and _I'll_ see
that Jim brings the guinea-pigs."

"Does James Seton know anything about cats?" enquired Jerry eagerly.
"You know they're _my_ favourite animals--just like guinea-pigs are
Bobbie's--and I do want to get some new recipes for my cat-book!"

"Why whatever is a cat-book, Miss Jerry?" asked Jeptha curiously.

"Don't you know, Jeptha? I write down all sorts of cures for cats, and
what they ought to eat; and several times it's been very useful to
Miss Meadows and Maria."

"I can't say _I_ know much about the subject, Miss Jerry, nor I don't
think Jim doesn't, neither, never having made a study of it, as you
may say. Miss Meadders is the tabby cat, ain't she? A very fine cat I
call her."

"Yes; I made a portrait of her and Maria, to send to mamma out in
India, and Bobbie made a picture of Funnel (not _you_, you know). She
liked them so much. Shall I tell you why Bobbie is so interested in
guinea-pigs?" continued Jerry, taking the old man's hand, and speaking
in a mysterious whisper.

"You know Jack belongs to the 'Cavey Club' at school, where a