moment began running
and leapt into his arms with a joyous whoop.

'Mother told me to tell you to buy something for dinner before you come
home, because there's nothing in the house.'

'Did she tell you what I was to get?'

She did tell me something, but I forget what it was. But I know she
said to get anything you like if you couldn't get what she told me to
tell you.'

'Well, we'll go and see what we can find,' said Owen.

'If I were you, I'd get a tin of salmon or some eggs and bacon,'
suggested Frankie as he skipped along holding his father's hand. 'We
don't want anything that's a lot of trouble to cook, you know, because
Mum's not very well today.'

'Is she up?'

She's been up all the morning, but she's lying down now. We've done
all the work, though. While she was making the beds I started washing
up the cups and saucers without telling her, but when she came in and
saw what a mess I'd made on the floor, she had to stop me doing it, and
she had to change nearly all my clothes as well, because I was almost
wet through; but I managed the wiping up all right when she did the
washing, and I swept the passage and put all my things tidy and made
the cat's bed. And that just reminds me: will you please give me my
penny now? I promised the cat that I'd bring him back some meat.'

Owen complied with the boy's request, and while the latter went to the
butcher's for the meat, Owen went into the grocer's to get something
for dinner, it being arranged that they were to meet again at the
corner of the street. Owen was at the appointed place first and after
waiting some time and seeing no sign of the boy he decided to go
towards the butcher's to meet him. When he came in sight of the shop
he saw the boy standing outside in earnest conversation with the
butcher, a jolly-looking stoutly built man, with a very red face. Owen
perceived at once that the child was trying to explain something,
because Frankie had a habit of holding his head sideways and
supplementing his speech by spreading out his fingers and making quaint
gestures with his hands whenever he found it difficult to make himself
understood. The boy was doing this now, waving one hand about with the
fingers and thumb extended wide, and with the other flourishing a paper
parcel which evidently contained the pieces of meat. Presently the man
laughed heartily and after shaking hands with Frankie went into the
shop to attend to a customer, and Frankie rejoi