said Peter; "that's just exactly like a book, isn't it,
Mother?"

"It is, rather," said Mother, smiling; "things do happen in real life
that are rather like books, sometimes."

"I am so awfully glad it IS you," said Phyllis; "when you think of the
tons of old gentlemen there are in the world--it might have been almost
anyone."

"I say, though," said Peter, "you're not going to take Jim away, though,
are you?"

"Not at present," said the old gentleman. "Your Mother has most kindly
consented to let him stay here. I thought of sending a nurse, but your
Mother is good enough to say that she will nurse him herself."

"But what about her writing?" said Peter, before anyone could stop him.
"There won't be anything for him to eat if Mother doesn't write."

"That's all right," said Mother, hastily.

The old gentleman looked very kindly at Mother.

"I see," he said, "you trust your children, and confide in them."

"Of course," said Mother.

"Then I may tell them of our little arrangement," he said. "Your Mother,
my dears, has consented to give up writing for a little while and to
become a Matron of my Hospital."

"Oh!" said Phyllis, blankly; "and shall we have to go away from Three
Chimneys and the Railway and everything?"

"No, no, darling," said Mother, hurriedly.

"The Hospital is called Three Chimneys Hospital," said the old
gentleman, "and my unlucky Jim's the only patient, and I hope he'll
continue to be so. Your Mother will be Matron, and there'll be a
hospital staff of a housemaid and a cook--till Jim's well."

"And then will Mother go on writing again?" asked Peter.

"We shall see," said the old gentleman, with a slight, swift glance at
Bobbie; "perhaps something nice may happen and she won't have to."

"I love my writing," said Mother, very quickly.

"I know," said the old gentleman; "don't be afraid that I'm going to try
to interfere. But one never knows. Very wonderful and beautiful things
do happen, don't they? And we live most of our lives in the hope of
them. I may come again to see the boy?"

"Surely," said Mother, "and I don't know how to thank you for making it
possible for me to nurse him. Dear boy!"

"He kept calling Mother, Mother, in the night," said Phyllis. "I woke up
twice and heard him."

"He didn't mean me," said Mother, in a low voice to the old gentleman;
"that's why I wanted so much to keep him."

The old gentleman rose.

"I'm so glad," said Peter, "that you're going to k