g turned four year old, of doin' a'most
anything. Look now at all them things of his as he's brought from
home!"

"That were his luggage like," observed Jupp, smiling and showing his
white teeth, which contrasted well with his black beard, making him
appear very nice-looking really, the nurse thought.

"The little rogue!" said she enthusiastically, hugging the mite again
with such effusion that Jupp wished he could change places with him, he
being unmarried and "an orphan man," as he described himself, "without
chick or child to care for him."

"He ought to be a good 'un with you a looking after him," he remarked
with a meaning glance, which, although the nurse noticed, she did not
pretend to see.

"So he is--sometimes, eh, Master Teddy?" she said, bending down again
over the mite to hide a sudden flush which had made her face somehow or
other crimson again.

"Ess," replied the hero of the occasion, who, soothed by all these
social amenities passing around him, quickly put aside his stolid
demeanour and became his little prattling self again.

However, such was his deep foresight that he did not forget to grasp so
favourable an opportunity for settling the initial difficulty between
himself and nurse in the matter of the kitten, which had led up
logically to all that had happened, and so prevent any misunderstanding
on the point in future.

"Oo won't tate way kitty?" he asked pleadingly, holding up with both
hands the struggling little animal, which Jupp had incontinently dropped
from his knee when he rose up, on the door of the waiting-room being
suddenly opened and the impromptu picnic organised by the mite and
himself brought to an abrupt termination, by the unexpected advent of
the nurse on the scene.

"No, Master Teddy, I promise you I won't," she replied emphatically.
"You can bathe the poor little brute in the basin and then put it all
wet in your bed afterwards, as you did this morning, or anything else
you like. Bless you, you can eat it if it so please you, and I shan't
interfere!"

"All wite, den; we frens 'dain," lisped the mite, putting up his little
rosebud mouth so prettily for a kiss, in token of peace and forgiveness
on his part, that the nurse could not help giving him another hug.

This display of affection had unfortunately the same effect on Jupp as
before, causing the miserable porter to feel acute pangs of envy;
although, by rights, he had no direct interest in the transaction, and