erm came, and one by one, or two by two, the boys
went away, until only Bertie and Tom were left in the great house. It
had never seemed so large to either of them before.

"It's miserable," groaned poor Bertie, as they strolled into the
schoolroom. "Just think if we were on our way home now--how different."

"Just think if I had been left here by myself," said Tom.

"Yes," said Bertie, "but you know when one wants to go home he never
thinks of the boys that have no home to go to."

The evening passed, and the two boys went to bed. They told stories to
each other for a long time before they could go to sleep. That night
they dreamed of their homes, and felt very lonely. Yet each tried to be
brave, and so another day began.

This was the day before Christmas. Quite early in the morning came the
great box of which Bertie's mother had spoken in her letter. Then, just
as dinner had come to an end, there was a peal at the bell, and a voice
was heard asking for Tom Egerton.

Tom sprang to his feet, and flew to greet a tall, handsome lady, crying,
"Aunt Laura! Aunt Laura!"

And Laura explained that she and her husband had arrived in London only
the day before. "I was so afraid, Tom," she said, "that we should not
get here until Christmas Day was over and that you would be
disappointed. So I would not let your mother write you that we were on
our way home. You must get your things packed up at once, and go back
with me to London. Then uncle and I will give you a splendid time."

For a minute or two Tom's face shone with delight. Then he caught sight
of Bertie and turned to his aunt.

"Dear Aunt Laura," he said, "I am very sorry, but I can't go."

"Can't go? and why not?"

"Because I can't go and leave Bertie here all alone," he said stoutly.
"When I was going to be alone he wrote and asked his mother to let me go
home with him. She could not have either of us because Bertie's sister
has scarlet fever. He has to stay here, and he has never been away from
home at Christmas time before, and I can't go away and leave him by
himself, Aunt Laura."

For a minute Aunt Laura looked at the boy as if she could not believe
him. Then she caught him in her arms and kissed him.

"You dear little boy, you shall not leave him. You shall bring him
along, and we shall all enjoy ourselves together. Bertie, my boy, you
are not very old yet, but I am going to teach you a lesson as well as I
can. It is that kindness is never wasted in