Mr Gray
had entered, came out on the doorstep, and regarded me intently.

"Yes, I'm sure it is!" she exclaimed. "Peter, Peter, aren't you Peter,
now? I have not forgotten thy face, though thee be grown into a young
man!" and she stretched out her arms, quite regardless of the
passers-by, ready to give me such another embrace as she had bestowed on
me when I went away. I could not restrain myself any longer, but,
giving the things I was carrying to Jack, sprang up the steps.

"Here he is, Miss Mary, here he is!" cried Nancy, and I saw close behind
her a tall, fair girl.

Nancy, however, had time to give me a kiss and a hug before I could
disengage myself, and the next moment my sweet sister Mary had her arms
round my neck, and, half crying, half laughing, was exclaiming--

"I knew you would come, I knew you would, Peter; I was sure you were not
lost!"

My brother Jack and Jim were, meantime, staying outside, not liking to
come in till they were summoned. Nancy did not recognise them, and
thought that they were two shipmates who had accompanied me to carry my
things.

At last, when I told Mary that I had not only come myself, but had
brought back our brother Jack, she was eager to see him, though she was
so young when he went away that she had no recollection of his
countenance, and scarcely knew him from Jim.

Mary had let me into the parlour. I now went and beckoned them in.
Nancy, when she knew who they were, welcomed them warmly, but did not
bestow so affectionate a greeting on them as she had done on me. Jim
stood outside the door while I brought Jack in. Though Mary kissed him,
and told him how glad she was to see him, it was easy to see that she at
first felt almost as if he were a stranger.

Mr Gray left us to ourselves for some time, and then all the family
came in and welcomed us kindly, insisting that Jack should remain with
me in the parlour, while Nancy took care of Jim in the kitchen, where he
was much more it his ease than he would have been with strangers. Jack,
indeed, looked, as he afterwards confessed to me he felt, like a fish
out of water in the presence of so many young ladies.

Though I had twice written to Mary, and had directed my letters
properly, neither had reached her; yet for all these fears she had not
lost hope of seeing me.

After supper, Jack and I were going away, but Mr Gray insisted that we
should remain, as he had had beds arranged for us in the house.

"I must