g
forward. I knew her in an instant to be Grace Goldie, though grown
almost into a young woman. "It is Jack, I am sure it is," she added,
taking my hand and leading me forward. "Oh, how strange that you do not
know him!"

My sisters now came about me, examining me with surprised looks. "How
strange, Grace," said one; "surely you must be mistaken?"

"No, I am sure I am not," answered Grace, looking into my face, and
putting back the hair from my forehead; "Are you not Jack?"

"Yes, I believe I am," I answered, "though if you did not say so I
should begin to doubt the fact, since Ann, and Mary, and Jane, do not
seem to know me."

"Well, I do believe it is Jack," cried Jane, coming up and taking my
other hand, though I was so dirty that she did not, I fancy, like to
kiss me. "So he is--he must be!" cried the others; and now, in spite of
my tattered dress, their sisterly affection got the better of all other
considerations, and they threw their arms about me like kind girls as
they really were, and I returned their salutes, in which Grace Goldie
came in for a share, with long unaccustomed tears in my eyes. Just then
a shriek of astonishment was heard, and there stood Aunt Martha at the
door. "Who have you got there?" she exclaimed. "It's Jack come back,"
answered my sisters and Grace in chorus. "Jack come back! impossible!"
cried out Aunt Martha, in what I thought sounded a tone of dismay.
"Yes, I am Jack, I assure you," I said, going up to her; "and I hope to
be your very dutiful and affectionate nephew, whatever you may once have
thought me;" and I took her hand and raised it to my lips. "If you are
Jack I am glad to see you," she said, her feelings softening; "and it
will at all events be a comfort to your poor mother to know that you are
not drowned."

"My mother! where is she?" I asked. "I trust she is not ill."

"Yes, she is, I am sorry to say, and up-stairs in bed," replied my aunt;
"but I'll go and break the news to her, lest the sound of all this
hubbub should reach her ears, and make her inquire what is the matter."

I had now time to ask about the rest of my family. My father was out,
but was soon expected home, and in the meantime, while Aunt Martha had
gone to tell my mother, by my sisters' advice I went into the bedroom of
one of my brothers, and washed, and dressed myself in his clothes. By
the time Aunt Martha came to look for me I was in a more presentable
condition than when I entered