" said Mrs. Warren. "Didn't he 'ave the fever, and
didn't Mammy Warren hold him in her arms, an', big boy that he be,
walked up and down the room wid him, and tried to soothe him w'en he
said them nasty lies? It wor a dream, my dear. W'y, Connie here can tell
yer 'ow good I am to 'er."

"Wery good," said Connie--"so good that there niver were no one better."

She tumbled out the words in desperation, and Mammy Warren gave her a
radiant smile, and poked her playfully in the ribs, and said that she
was quite the funniest gel she had ever come acrost. After this Connie
was quite silent until the little party found themselves at Waterloo.

Here they mounted to the top of a 'bus, and Ronald, trembling with
delight, clutched hold of Connie's hand.

"Stoop down," he said; "I want to whisper." Connie bent towards him. "Do
you think my father will be waiting for me when we get back to Mrs.
Warren's?"

"I don't know," was the only reply poor Connie could manage to give him.

At last the omnibus drive came to an end, and the trio walked the short
remaining distance to Mrs. Warren's rooms. Ronald almost tumbled
upstairs in his eagerness to get there first.

"Oh, how will he get in? I do hope he's not been waiting and gone away
again."

Mrs. Warren opened the door with her latch key. The room was dark, for
there was neither fire-light nor gas-light; but soon these deficiencies
were supplied, for Mrs. Warren was exceedingly fond of creature
comforts.

"I wonder when he'll come," said Ronald. He was standing by the table
and looking anxiously with his big brown eyes all round him. "I do
wonder when he'll come."

Mrs. Warren made no reply. She began to prepare supper. As she did so
there came a knock at the door. Mrs. Warren went to open it. She had an
eager conversation with some one who stood without, and then she and
Agnes entered the room together. Ronald evidently knew Agnes, for he
shrank away from her and regarded her arrival with the reverse of
pleasure.

"Wull--and 'ow yer?" said Agnes in a cheerful tone.

She chucked Ronald under the chin and remarked on his healthy
appearance.

"Wull," said Mrs. Warren, "yer can't blame the pore child for that,
seein' as he 'ave been cockered up on the best food in the
land--chuckens and chops, no less."

"Oh, dear me! how shockin' greedy you must be!" said Agnes. "I'm sure,
ma'am," she continued, turning to Mrs. Warren, "no one could desire
better than wot _you_ 'as to ea