Me and Nobbles Part 31

'Me and n.o.bbles is 'stremely happy,' he said.

And then Mr. Allonby stooped and kissed him.

'Oh, Bobby, what a pity it is that lessons must separate us.'

But Bobby was too absorbed in his happiness to heed what his father said.

When they reached home Margot had to be told the whole story, and the next morning it was poured into Miss Robsart's ears, and then an expedition was made to Curly's crossing to tell him about it.

'For acourse you ought to know,' said Bobby, 'for you saved n.o.bble's life, and he saved father's, so it's got to do with you as well as me.'

And then True suggested that Lady Isobel should be written and told about it.

'And we'll make it up like a story, Bobby, for it's quite fit for a book, and I'll help you write it.'

Three afternoon's hard work in the sitting-room produced the following epistle, which went down to the country and greeted Lady Isobel one morning at breakfast:

'MY VERY DERE ANT ISBEL,--

'Father says you are my ant now. A wunderfull day hapend. Father and True and me and n.o.bbles went on our skats to skat in the c.u.n.try. It was a very big pond, and a lot of pepul, and we went in the trane.

n.o.bbles kam with us. The ice began to brake when a boy went on it where he was told not, and he went thro. It was an orful moment. And father and me saw him do it. Father gumped in the water and kort him and lifted him up, and he krawled out, and Father kam out too, and there was anuther crack, and Father went down and onley his head remaned and sum fingers. Me and n.o.bbles nerely burst with terrerr, but we went up very quik, and I held n.o.bbles out to dere father, and we was going to pull him out, but it was orfull, and sum men came up, and n.o.bbles was tuk and lade on his chest flat across the hole in the ice.

Father's head had gorn down twice for the ice crakkeled in his fingers, but he tuk hold of n.o.bbles, and n.o.bbles smild and held him fast for hes so strong, and then a man lade down on his chest flat and held out his hand to Father and anuther man pulled hold of his legs, and anuther man pulled him, and I was pushed away for I wanted to pull too, but I did not cry but I was 'normusly fritend, and at larst Father was pulled out safe, but they saide if n.o.bbles had not been there he wood have drownded, so dont you think that me and n.o.bbles saved Father's life?

He saide we did, and I am so glad for I luv him the best in the wurld, him and G.o.d in Heaven. It was an orful excedent, and Margot says we were nerely orfans, and me and n.o.bbles dremes of it nerely every night, so n.o.bbles is a herro, wich True says is anybuddy who saves life, and I helped him to do it. Plese rite to me soon.

Your luving little BOBBY.'

Lady Isobel handed this letter to her husband.

'Oh, Mortimer! we must have him here. I simply ache to have him every time I go up to his nursery.'

'Patience, my lady!' said her husband, laughing as he read Bobby's quaint production.

'"All things come to him who waits," and a bride of two months'

standing ought not to ache for anyone but her husband!'

Bobby got a long and loving letter back from his new aunt, and he showed it to his father with great pride.

Lady Isobel's last sentence in her letter was, 'Ask father to tell you my plan that I talked to you about the day before I was married.'

'What is it, father?' asked Bobby.

I'll tell you this evening,' his father responded. 'True and you and I will have a confab over it.'

These confabs were a delight to the children. They had many of them on the hearthrug in the firelight, their father leaning back in his chair and smoking his pipe whilst he listened and talked.

'A plan is sure to be nice,' said True, 'and Lady Isobel's will be much better than the ones we make up, Bobby.'

So all that day they puzzled their heads over what it could be. And when at last the happy moment arrived they sat in rapt antic.i.p.ation of their father's disclosure.

'I hope to sail away from England about the middle of May,' Mr. Allonby said, looking at the children gravely.

Bobby's lower lip began to quiver at once.

'I knewed that drefful day would be coming,' he said; 'but me and n.o.bbles tries to forget it.'

'This plan has to do with that day,' his father said cheerfully. 'What is going to become of you when I go off, do you think?'

'Oh,' said True, 'we've plans for that. Miss Robsart is coming to live with us, and she and Margot will look after us till you come back.'

Mr. Allonby shook his head.

'No, that won't work,' he said.

'Shall we be sented to school?' asked Bobby in a trembling voice.

'Now, listen! Your Uncle Mortimer and Aunt Isobel have said they will take care of you and True whilst I am away. Your Aunt wants you back in the old house, Bobby, and Miss Robsart is to go down there too, and go on teaching you till you've mastered your Latin declensions, and are ready for school.'

True clapped her hands delightedly, and a smile broke over Bobby's serious face.

'And will Miss Robsart's sick sister come too? She always said if she got into the country she could paint again.'

'I believe the idea is that she should go too. Your uncle has a cottage near that he is going to let them have. Margot will take charge of you still in the nursery, and I shall feel that you are being looked after well whilst I'm away. Do you think the plan will work?'

'Yes,' the children cried simultaneously; for Bobby had outgrown his dread of the silent house now, and the idea of going back there, and showing True all his old haunts filled him with delight.

'I wish,' said Bobby slowly, 'as we're all going there, that Curly could come too. Do you think, father dear, we could make a confab about him?'

'Go ahead, then. From your account he is quite a reformed character; but I don't see how he could form one of your party.'

'He's so very clean now,' continued Bobby earnestly; 'and Miss Robsart has got him into a shop. He dusts and sweeps and runs errands, but he told me yesterday he wants a run into the country awful bad. He would like to come with us.'

'Yes, he might black our boots and work in the garden,' said True.

'Will Lady Is'bel ask him, do you think, father?'

'No, I think she is doing quite enough if she takes charge of you two young pickles.'

'I shan't like leaving my friend behind,' said Bobby solemnly. 'You see, he saved n.o.bbles' life. He deserves me to remember him, and not go away and forget him.'

'You send him one of your letters,' said his father smiling, 'or a present. You needn't forget him because you're away from him. Is that what you are going to do with me?'

A look from Bobby was sufficient reply to this. Then, lapsing into his worst grammar, in his excitement he said, 'I never forgetted you one day since I was borned! It's like a bit of my puzzle map,' went on Bobby after a pause. 'It's a plan with a piece left out, and it isn't finished till it's putted in. Curly must be in our plan, father dear.'

'He may be in yours, but not in Lady Isobel's, I think,' said Mr.

Allonby.

'We'll make a confab with Lady Is'bel about him when we get to her house,' suggested True. 'I believe she'll find a way to have him.'