something, and in this he was deeply sympathetic, never seeing why his
master need be punished for anything and resenting the stupidity of
human beings with their eternal desire to be, in some way or other,
asserting their authority.

Gradually, in front of the hot fire, both boy and dog fell asleep.
Jeremy's dreams were confused, bewildered, distressing; he was
struggling to find something, was always climbing higher and higher to
discover it, only to be told that, in the end, he was in the place where
he had begun.

Hamlet's dream was of an enormous succulent bone that was pulled away
from him so soon as he snapped at it. They both awoke with a start to
find that it was time for high tea.

III

Throughout the evening Jeremy was more and more lonely. He had never
before felt so deep an affection for the family and never been so
utterly unable to express it. It was as though, during the whole year
he had, by his own will, been slipping away from them, and now they had
gone too far for him to call them back.

He sat on the floor at his mother's feet whilst she read "Midshipman
Easy." It was all so cosy, the room was so comfortable with all
the familiar pictures and photographs and books, and Helen and Mary
diligently sewing, and Hamlet stretched out in front of the fire, his
nose on his paws--six months ago Jeremy would have felt utterly and
absolutely part of it. Now he was outside it and, at the same time, was
inside nothing else. It might be that in a week's time he would be so
familiar with his new world that he would be as happy as a cricket--he
did not know. He only knew that at this moment he would have given all
that he had to fling his arms round his mother's neck, to be hugged and
kissed and nursed by her, and that, at the same time, he would have died
rather than do such a thing.

The evening came to an end. The girls got up and said good-night. His
mother kissed him, holding him perhaps for a moment longer than usual,
but at that same instant she said:

"Oh, I must remind Ella about the half-past seven breakfast again, she
always has to be told everything twice."

The girls went on ahead, Jeremy and Hamlet following close behind.
Jeremy found himself alone in the schoolroom, where the fire was very
low, giving only little spurts and flashes that ran like golden snakes
suddenly through the darkness.

Moved by an impulse, he went to the toy-cupboard and, opening it, put
his hand quite by ch