come here. You
have some absurd fancy in your head about your father fetching you away
from us.'

'Yes, gran'ma.'

'It is quite ridiculous. Your father would not think of doing such a
thing. You have been given over to me entirely, and he doesn't trouble
about you in the least. I expect he forgets that he has a son. Do you
understand me?'

'Yes, gran'ma.'

'I am only telling you this for your good. The sooner you stop
thinking about such a foolish thing the better.'

'Yes, gran'ma.'

'You ought to be a very happy grateful little boy. You have a kind
nurse and a comfortable home, and everything to satisfy you. Soon you
will be going to school, and I hope you will try to grow up a credit to
us.'

'Yes, gran'ma.'

'Can't you say anything but "yes"?'

Mrs. Egerton's tone was a little impatient.

'I don't know nothing but "yes" to speak,' faltered Bobby, hanging his
head.

'You seem to have talked fast enough to your uncle.'

Mrs. Egerton regarded him closely for a minute. Bobby began to feel
more and more uncomfortable. Then his grandmother got up with a little
sigh.

'You are not a bit like your mother; you are an Allonby all over. Now
don't let me hear any more of this nonsense! Your home is with me; we
never talk to you about your father, because we do not even know if he
is alive. He has never written or taken the slightest interest in you
after your poor mother sent you to us.'

She got up and rustled out of the room. Bobby looked after her
perplexedly.

Why didn't his grandmother want him to have a father, he wondered? And
what else could he say but 'yes' to her? If he had said 'no,' she
would have been angry. Grown-up people were very difficult to
understand. He turned to Nobbles to console him. He always smiled at
him, and loved him.

Chapter III.

THE BEAUTIFUL PICTURE.

And so the house slipped back again to its gravity and silence, and the
child played about in the shrubberies and sat in the apple-tree gazing
wistfully up the dusty high-road. And deep down in his heart the hope
still lingered that his father would appear one day. Spring turned
into summer, and Bobby spent most of his days out of doors. One
afternoon his nurse took him to a farm. She was great friends with the
farmer's wife, and Bobby loved a visit there, for he was allowed to
wander about round the farm and watch the farm hands in their various
occupations. This afternoon he crossed a fiel