at the light and warmth
and comfort within could be for a homeless "little chap" like him.

"I hope the lady will see to me," he thought, and gave a timid rap with
the great bronze knocker, which was a jovial griffin's head.

A rosy-faced servant-maid opened the door, and smiled as she took the
letter which he silently offered. She seemed used to receiving strange
boys, for she pointed to a seat in the hall, and said, with a nod:

"Sit there and drip on the mat a bit, while I take this in to missis."

Nat found plenty to amuse him while he waited, and stared about him
curiously, enjoying the view, yet glad to do so unobserved in the dusky
recess by the door.

The house seemed swarming with boys, who were beguiling the rainy
twilight with all sorts of amusements. There were boys everywhere,
"up-stairs and down-stairs and in the lady's chamber," apparently, for
various open doors showed pleasant groups of big boys, little boys,
and middle-sized boys in all stages of evening relaxation, not to say
effervescence. Two large rooms on the right were evidently schoolrooms,
for desks, maps, blackboards, and books were scattered about. An open
fire burned on the hearth, and several indolent lads lay on their backs
before it, discussing a new cricket-ground, with such animation that
their boots waved in the air. A tall youth was practising on the flute
in one corner, quite undisturbed by the racket all about him. Two or
three others were jumping over the desks, pausing, now and then, to get
their breath and laugh at the droll sketches of a little wag who was
caricaturing the whole household on a blackboard.

In the room on the left a long supper-table was seen, set forth with
great pitchers of new milk, piles of brown and white bread, and perfect
stacks of the shiny gingerbread so dear to boyish souls. A flavor of
toast was in the air, also suggestions of baked apples, very tantalizing
to one hungry little nose and stomach.

The hall, however, presented the most inviting prospect of all, for
a brisk game of tag was going on in the upper entry. One landing
was devoted to marbles, the other to checkers, while the stairs were
occupied by a boy reading, a girl singing a lullaby to her doll, two
puppies, a kitten, and a constant succession of small boys sliding down
the banisters, to the great detriment of their clothes and danger to
their limbs.

So absorbed did Nat become in this exciting race, that he ventured
farther and f