y nice 'ome this wery arfternoon. And
now Mrs. Cricket 'as got a meal for us all and then yer little things'll
be packed, Ronald, and I'll carry 'em--for in course yer nurse ought to
carry yer clothes, my boy. We'll get off to the train as fast as ever we
can arter we've had our meal. Now, children, foller me back to the
cottage."

Mrs. Warren sailed on in front. Connie and Ronald followed after, hand
in hand. There was quite a splendid color in Connie's pale cheeks now,
for all of a sudden she saw a reason for her present life. She had got
to protect Ronald, who was so much younger than herself. She would
protect him with her very life if necessary.

CHAPTER X.

THE RETURN TO LONDON.

Mrs. Warren made a very hearty meal. She swallowed down cup after cup of
strong coffee, and ate great hunches of thick bread-and-butter, and
called out to the children not to shirk their food.

But, try as they would, neither Connie nor Ronald had much appetite.
Connie, in spite of herself, could not help casting anxious glances at
the little boy, and whenever she did so she found that Mrs. Warren had
fixed her with her bold black eyes. It seemed to Connie that Mrs.
Warren's eyes said quite as plainly as though her lips had spoken:

"I'll keep my word; there's the room with no winder and no light in
it--yer'll find yerself in there ef yer don't look purty sharp."

But notwithstanding the threatening expression of Mrs. Warren's eyes,
Connie could not restrain all sign of feeling. Ronald, on the other
hand, appeared quite bright. He devoted himself to Connie, helping her
in the most gentlemanly way to the good things which Mrs. Cricket had
provided.

"The apple jam is very nice," he said. "I watched Mrs. Cricket make
it.--Didn't I, Mrs. Cricket?"

"That you did, my little love," said the good woman. "And I give you a
little saucer of it all hot and tasty for your tea, didn't I, my little
love?"

"Oh yes," replied Ronald; "and didn't I like it, just!"

"Jam's wery bad for little boys," said Mrs. Warren at this juncture.
"Jam guvs little boys fever an' shockin' cruel dreams. It's
bread-and-butter as little boys should heat, and sometimes bread without
butter in case they should turn bilious."

"Oh no, ma'am, begging your pardon," here interrupted Mrs. Cricket; "I
haven't found it so with dear little Master Ronald. You tell his
parients, please, ma'am, that it's milk as he wants--lots and lots of
country milk--and--and