ngly.

"Indeed, sir?" said the other cautiously, leading him on.

"Ess, man," continued the mite. "See want take way my kitty."

"You don't mean that, sir!" exclaimed Jupp with well-feigned horror at
such unprincipled behaviour on the part of the accused nurse.

"Ess, man, see did," replied the little chap, nodding his small curly
head with great importance; but the next instant his little roguish blue
eyes twinkled with suppressed intelligence, and his red rosebud of a
mouth expanded into a happy smile as he added, with much satisfaction in
his tones, "but I dot kitty all wite now!"

"Have you really, sir?" said Jupp, pretending to be much surprised at
the information, the little chap evidently expecting him to be so.

"Ess, man," cried the mite with a triumphant shout; "I'se dot po' 'ittle
kitty here!"

"Never, sir!" ejaculated Jupp with trembling eagerness, as if his life
depended on the solution of the doubt.

The little chap became completely overcome with merriment at having so
successfully concealed his treasured secret, as he thought, that the
porter had not even guessed it.

"Kitty's in dundle!" he exclaimed gleefully, hugging his handkerchief
parcel tighter to his little stomach as he spoke. "I dot kitty here,
all wite!"

"You don't mean that, sir--not in that bundle o' yours surely, sir?"
repeated Jupp with deep fictitious interest, appearing still not quite
convinced on the point and as if wishing to have the difficulty cleared
up.

This diplomatic course of procedure on the part of the porter removed
any lingering scruples the mite had in respect of his good faith.

"Ess, man. I dot kitty here in dundle all wite," he repeated earnestly
in his very impressive little way. "Oo musn't tell nobody and I'll so
her to 'oo!"

"I won't breathe a word of it to a soul, sir," protested Jupp as
solemnly and gravely as if he were making his last dying deposition;
whereupon the mite, quite convinced of the porter's trustworthiness and
abandoning all further attempt at concealment, deposited his little
bundle tenderly on the floor in front of the fireplace, and began to
open it with much deliberation.

The little fellow appeared so very serious about the matter, that Jupp
could not help trying to be serious too; but it required the exercise of
all the self-command he possessed to refrain from laughing when the
motley contents of the red handkerchief were disclosed.

Before the last knot of the bundle