"Ess," said the mite at this, thinking his testimony was appealed to,
and nodding his head affirmatively.

"And he comed all that way from t'other side o' the village by hisself?"
asked Jupp by way of putting a stop to sundry other endearments the
fascinating young woman was recklessly lavishing on the little chap.
"Why, it's more nor a mile!"

"Aye, that he has. Just look at him," said she, giving the mite another
shake, although this time it was of a different description to the one
she had first administered.

He certainly was not much to look at in respect of stature, being barely
three feet high; but he was a fine little fellow for all that, with good
strong, sturdy limbs and a frank, fearless face, which his bright blue
eyes and curling locks of brown hair ornamented to the best advantage.

As before mentioned, he had evidently not been prepared for a journey
when he made his unexpected appearance at the station, being without a
hat on his head and having a slightly soiled pinafore over his other
garments; while his little feet were encased in thin house shoes, or
slippers, that were ill adapted for walking through the mud and snow.

Now that the slight differences that had arisen between himself and the
nurse had been amicably settled, he was in the best of spirits, with his
little face puckered in smiles and his blue eyes twinkling with fun as
he looked up at the two observing him.

"He is a jolly little chap!" exclaimed Jupp, bending down and lifting
him up in his strong arms, the mite the while playfully pulling at his
black beard; "and I tell you what, miss, I think he's got a very good
nurse to look after him!"

"Do you?" said she, adding a moment afterwards as she caught Jupp's look
of admiration, "Ah, that's only what you say now. You didn't think so
when I first came in here after him; for you asked me not to beat him--
as if I would!"

"Lor', I never dreamt of such a thing!" cried he with much emphasis, the
occasion seeming to require it. "I only said that to coax you like,
miss. I didn't think as you'd hurt a hair of his head."

"Well, let it be then," replied she, accepting this amende and setting
to work gathering together the mite's goods and chattels that were still
lying on the floor of the waiting-room--with the exception of the
kitten, which he had himself again assumed the proprietorship of and now
held tightly in his arms, even as he was clasped by Jupp and elevated
above the port