rellas, and Nobbles was produced for his
inspection. Bobby stood by trembling for his verdict, and Nurse said
to the man, Jim Black by name, 'He's so terrible set upon his stick
that we thought perhaps you might mend it. 'Tis the head he values;
it's his favourite toy.'

Jim Black turned Nobbles' little head round in his hand with a smile
upon his lips.

'Be this here a Chinyman?' he asked Bobby.

'Oh no,' said Bobby gravely, shaking his head. 'He came from over the
sea; but he understands my English. He's dreadfully hurt; and he
doesn't want to have a new body, it will feel so strange to him.'

The old man winked at Nurse. 'Ah, well, we'll see whether we can mend
his old body first.'

He was untying Nobbles' bandages, and when he came in two, he inspected
both pieces with great solemnity.

'What be you going to do with him? Keep him in a glass case?'

'Oh no; he always lives with me, and comes with me everywheres.'

Bobby looked up at the umbrella-mender with serious alarm in his eyes.

'Then this here broken body be of no manner of use. You leave him with
me and I'll give him a good stout stick, and he'll be better'n new.'

'You won't hurt him doing it?'

'Bless your heart, he be proper enjoyin' the thought of it. Look at
his smile! Ah, well! If so be that we could get new bodies so easy
when ours be smashed up it would be a foine thing--eh, Nurse?'

Nurse assented with a smile; then telling the old man they would call
again, she took Bobby out into the street and began her shopping. And
the shops and the people were so full of interest to Bobby that after a
short time he dismissed Nobbles from his mind and began to enjoy
himself. His crowning treat was lunch at a confectioner's, and then
soon afterwards the groom appeared with the cart, and they called for
Nobbles on their way home. Bobby's hand shook with excitement as he
held it out for his treasure. And certainly Jim Black had been very
successful over his task. Nobbles' head was firmly fixed upon a very
stout brown cane, and he looked very pleased with himself. But it was
some time before Bobby could get accustomed to the change in him, and
more than once he asked his nurse doubtfully if she thought he was just
the same Nobbles as he used to be.

'I does hope Nobbles isn't very uncomf'able. I was telling him last
night he must be very kind to his poor new body, for it must be a
little shy of him at first. And he said' (here the tw