eyes very widely.

'That's all,' was the answer, and Jimmy looked thoughtful for a few
minutes.

'I don't think I like policemen who joke,' he said solemnly.

'Then,' asked the lady, 'why did you run away from the circus? You seem
to be very fond of running away.'

'I shan't run away from you,' said Jimmy. 'Only I heard the policeman's
voice outside the van and I thought I'd better.'

'Well,' she answered, 'if you had not run away you would have found your
mother much sooner.'

'I do hope she isn't like Aunt Selina,' he said wistfully.

'What should you wish her to be like?' asked the lady.

'Why, like you, of course,' he cried, and then he was very much
surprised to see the lady lean forward and throw her arms about him and
to feel her kissing him again and again. And when she left off her eyes
were wet.

'Why did you do that?' asked Jimmy.

'She _is_ like me, you darling!' said the lady.

'My mother?' cried Jimmy.

'You dear, foolish boy, I am your mother,' she said.

'Oh,' said Jimmy, and it was quite a long time before he was able to say
anything else.

A few moments later Mrs. Wilmot rang the bell, and a servant carried a
large bath into the room, then she went away and came back with a can of
very hot water, and then she went away again to fetch a brown-paper
parcel. Mrs. Wilmot opened the parcel at once, and Jimmy sat up in bed
and looked on. He saw her take out a suit of brown clothes, a shirt, and
all sorts of things, so that he should have everything new.

Then he got out of bed, and had such a washing and scrubbing as he had
never had before. He was washed from head to foot, and dressed in the
new clothes, and when he looked in the glass he saw himself just as he
had been before he left Miss Lawson's school at Ramsgate.

'Now,' said Mrs. Wilmot, 'I think you may as well come to see your
father and Winnie.'

'Are they here?' he asked.

'Oh yes,' she explained, 'I sent to tell them last night, and they
arrived early this morning. Not both together, because we left Winnie
with Aunt Ellen at Chesterham, whilst father went to look for you one
way and I went another.'

'Then you were really looking for me?' cried Jimmy.

'Why, of course we were,' she answered. 'We knew you were walking about
the country dressed as a little clown. But come,' she said, 'because
your father is anxious to see you.'

'I should like to see him too,' said Jimmy. 'I hope he's as nice as you
are,' he cried as the