Produced by David Edwards, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) THE LITTLE CLOWN BY THOMAS COBB AUTHOR OF 'THE BOUNTIFUL LADY,' 'COOPER'S FIRST TERM,' ETC. LONDON: GRANT RICHARDS 1901 _CONTENTS_ 1. _How it began_ 2. _Jimmy goes to London_ 3. _At Aunt Selina's_ 4. _Aunt Selina at Home_ 5. _At the Railway Station_ 6. _The Journey_ 7. _Jimmy is taken into Custody_ 8. _Jimmy runs away_ 9. _The Circus_ 10. _On the Road_ 11. _Jimmy runs away again_ 12. _Jimmy sleeps in a Windmill_ 13. _The Last_ The Little Clown CHAPTER I HOW IT BEGAN Jimmy was nearly eight years of age when these strange things happened to him. His full name was James Orchardson Sinclair Wilmot, and he had been at Miss Lawson's small school at Ramsgate since he was six. There were only five boys besides himself, and Miss Roberts was the only governess besides Miss Lawson. The half-term had just passed, and they did not expect to go home for the Christmas holidays for another four or five weeks, until one day Miss Lawson became very ill, and her sister, Miss Rosina, was sent for. It was on Friday that Miss Rosina told the boys that she had written to their parents and that they would all be sent home on Tuesday, and no doubt Jimmy might have felt as glad as the rest if he had had a home to be sent to. But the fact was that he had never seen his father or mother--or at least he had no recollection of them. And he had never seen his sister Winnie, who was born in the West Indies. One of the boys had told Jimmy she must be a little black girl, and Jimmy did not quite know whether to believe him or not. When he was two years of age, his father and mother left England, and although that was nearly six years ago, they had not been back since. Jimmy had lived with his Aunt Ellen at Chesterham until he came to school, but afterwards his holidays were spent with another uncle and aunt in London. His mother wrote to him every month, nice long letters, which Jimmy always answered, although he did not always know quite what to say to her. But last month there had come no letter, and the month before that Mrs. Wilmot had said something about seeing Jimmy soon. When he heard the other boys talk about their fathers and mothers and sisters it seemed strange that he did not know what his own were like. For you cannot always tell what a person is like from her photograph; and although his mother looked young and pretty in hers, Jimmy did not know whether she was tall or short or dark or fair, but sometimes, especially after the gas was turned out at night, he felt that he should very much like to know. On Monday evening, whilst Jimmy was sitting at the desk in the school-room sticking some postage-stamps in his Album, he was told to go to the drawing-room, where he found Miss Rosina sitting beside a large fire. 'Is your name Wilmot?' she asked, for she had not learnt all the boys' names yet. 'James Orchardson Sinclair Wilmot,' he answered. 'A long name for such a small boy,' said Miss Rosina. 'It is very strange,' she continued, 'that all the boys' parents have answered my letters but yours.' 'Mine couldn't answer,' said Jimmy. 'Why not?' asked Miss Rosina. 'Because they live such a long way off.' 'I remember,' said Miss Rosina; 'it was to your uncle that I wrote. I asked him to send someone to meet you at Victoria Station at one o'clock to-morrow. But he has not answered my letter, and it is very inconvenient.' 'Is it?' asked Jimmy solemnly, with his eyes fixed on her face. 'Why, of course it is,' said Miss Rosina. 'Suppose I don't have a letter before you start to-morrow morning! I shall not know whether any one is coming to meet you or not. And what would Miss Roberts do with you in that case?' 'I don't know,' answered Jimmy, beginning to look rather anxious. 'I'm sure I don't know either,' said Miss Rosina. 'But,' she added, 'I trust I may hear from your uncle before you start to-morrow morning.' 'I hope you will,' cried Jimmy; and he went back to the school-room wondering what would happen to him if his Uncle Henry did not write. Whilst the other boys were saying what wonderful things they intended to do during the holidays, he wished that his father and mother were in England the same as theirs. He could not go to sleep very early that night for thinking of to-morrow, and when the bell rang at seven o'clock the next morning he dressed quickly and came downstairs first to look for Miss Rosina. 'Please, have you had a letter from Uncle Henry yet?' he asked. 'No, I am sorry to say I have not,' was the answer. 'I cannot understand it at all. I am sure I don't know what is to be done with you.' 'Couldn't I stay here?' cried Jimmy. 'Certainly not,' said Miss Rosina. 'Why not?' asked Jimmy, who always liked to have a reason for everything. 'Because Miss Lawson is not going to keep a school any more. But,' exclaimed Miss Rosina, 'go to your breakfast, and I will speak to you again afterwards.' CHAPTER II JIMMY GOES TO LONDON As he sat at breakfast Jimmy saw a large railway van stop at the door, with a porter sitting on the board behind. The driver climbed down from his high seat in front, and the two men began to carry out the boxes. Jimmy saw his clothes-box carried out, then his play-box, so that he knew that he was to go to London with the rest, although Miss Rosina had not heard from his uncle. 'Jimmy,' said Miss Roberts after breakfast, 'Miss Rosina wants to see you in the drawing-room. You must go at once.' So he went to the drawing-room, tapped at the door, and was told to enter. 'It is very annoying that your uncle has not answered my letter,' said Miss Rosina, looking as angry as if Jimmy were to blame for it. 'He couldn't answer if he didn't get it,' cried Jimmy. 'Of course not,' said Miss Rosina, 'but I sincerely hope he did get it.' 'So do I,' answered Jimmy. 'Perhaps he will send to meet you although he has not written to say so,' said Miss Rosina. 'Perhaps he will,' replied Jimmy thoughtfully. 'But,' Miss Rosina continued, 'if he doesn't send to meet you, Miss Roberts must take you to his house in Brook Street in a cab.' 'Only suppose he isn't there!' exclaimed Jimmy. 'At all events the servants will be there.' 'Only suppose they're not!' 'Surely,' said Miss Rosina, 'they would not leave the house without any one in it!' 'If Uncle Henry and Aunt Mary have gone to France they might.' 'Do they often go to France?' asked Miss Rosina. 'They go sometimes,' said Jimmy, 'because Aunt Mary writes to me, and I've got the stamps in my Album. And then they leave the house empty and shut the shutters and put newspapers in all the windows, you know.' Whilst Jimmy stood on the hearth-rug, Miss Rosina sat in an arm-chair staring seriously at the fire. 'Have you any other relations in London?' she asked, a few moments later. 'No,' said Jimmy. 'Think, now,' she continued. 'Are you sure there is nobody?' 'At least,' cried Jimmy, 'there's only Aunt Selina.' 'Where does your Aunt Selina live?' asked Miss Rosina, looking a great deal more pleased than Jimmy felt. He put his small hands together behind his back, and took a step closer. 'Please,' he said, 'I--I don't want to go to Aunt Selina's.' 'Tell me where she lives,' answered Miss Rosina. 'I think it's somewhere called Gloucester Place,' said Jimmy;' but, please, I'd rather not go.' 'You silly child! You must go somewhere!' 'Yes, I know,' said Jimmy, 'but I'd rather not go to Aunt Selina's.' 'What is her number in Gloucester Place?' asked Miss Rosina. 'I don't know the number,' cried Jimmy much more cheerfully, because he thought that as he did not know the number, Miss Rosina could not very well send him to the house. 'What is your aunt's name? Is it Wilmot?' Miss Rosina asked. 'No, it isn't Wilmot,' said Jimmy. 'Do you know what it is?' she demanded, and Jimmy began to wish he didn't know; but Aunt Selina always wrote on his birthday, although it wasn't much use as she never sent him a present. 'Her name's Morton,' he answered. 'Mrs. Morton or Miss Morton?' 'Miss Morton, because she's never been married,' said Jimmy. 'Very well then,' was the answer, 'if nobody comes to meet you at Victoria Station, Miss Roberts will take you in a cab to Brook Street, and if your Uncle Henry is not there----' 'I hope he will be!' cried Jimmy. 'So do I,' Miss Rosina continued, 'because Miss Roberts will not have much time to spare. She will take you to Brook Street; but if the house is empty, then she will go on to Miss Morton's in Gloucester Place.' 'But how can she if she doesn't know the number?' said Jimmy. 'Miss Roberts will easily be able to find your aunt's house,' was the answer. 'Oh!' cried Jimmy in a disappointed tone, and then he was sent back to the other boys. When it was time to start to the railway station Miss Rosina went on first in a fly to take the tickets, and they found her waiting for them on the platform. They all got into a carriage, and Jimmy sat next to Miss Roberts, who asked him soon after the train started, why he looked so miserable. 'I do hope that Uncle Henry will send some one to meet me,' he answered. 'I hope so too,' said Miss Roberts, who was much younger than Miss Rosina, 'because I have to travel to the north of England, and it is a very long journey. I shall only just have time to drive to the other station to catch my train.' 'But suppose you don't catch it?' asked Jimmy. 'That would be extremely inconvenient,' she explained, 'because I should either have to travel all night or else to sleep at an hotel in London. But I hope your uncle will come to meet you.' Long before the train reached London, Jimmy began to look anxiously out at the window. Presently it stopped on a bridge over the Thames, and a man came to collect the tickets, and soon after the train moved on again Jimmy saw that he was at Victoria. The door was opened, and all the other boys jumped out, and whilst they were shaking hands with their fathers and mothers Jimmy stood alone on the platform. He looked wistfully at every face in the small crowd, but he did not know one of them, and it was plain that nobody had been sent to meet him. He followed Miss Roberts towards the luggage van and saw his own boxes taken out with the rest, and then one by one the boys got into cabs and were driven away, and Jimmy began to feel more miserable than ever. His boxes stood beside Miss Roberts's, and she looked up and down the platform almost as anxiously as the boy, for she was in a great hurry to go. 'Well, Jimmy,' she said, 'nobody seems to have come for you.' 'No,' answered Jimmy. 'It is really very annoying!' cried Miss Roberts, looking at her watch. 'Perhaps Uncle Henry has made a mistake in the time,' said Jimmy. 'I think the best thing we can do is to take a cab to Brook Street,' was the answer. 'Mightn't we wait just a little longer?' he asked. 'No,' said Miss Roberts, 'we have lost quite enough time already. Hi! Cab!' she exclaimed, and a four-wheeled cab was driven up beside the boxes. Then a porter lifted these, one by one, and put them on top of the cab. 'Get in,' said Miss Roberts, and with a last glance along the platform, Jimmy entered the cab and sat down. Then Miss Roberts stepped in also, the old cab-horse started, and Jimmy was driven out of the gloomy railway station. 'I hope Uncle Henry will be at home,' he said presently. 'So do I,' answered Miss Roberts. 'I have not a minute to spare.' 'Perhaps you won't have time to take me to Aunt Selina's!' exclaimed Jimmy. 'What do you suppose I am to do with you then?' she asked. 'I don't know,' he said; 'only I don't want to go there!' 'I am sure I don't want to have to take you there,' was the answer, as the cab passed Hyde Park. Jimmy had been the same way every holiday since he had gone to Miss Lawson's school, so that he knew he was drawing near to Brook Street. As the cab turned the corner, he put his head out at the window and looked anxiously for his uncle's house. 'Oh!' he cried, drawing it in again. 'What is the matter?' asked Miss Roberts. 'I believe the shutters are up,' said Jimmy. CHAPTER III AT AUNT SELINA'S Jimmy was quite right. Miss Roberts leaned forward to put her head out at the window on his side of the cab, and she saw that every shutter was shut, and that there was a sheet of newspaper in each window. 'What a nuisance!' she exclaimed, sitting down again as the horse stopped. The cabman got down to open the door, and Jimmy jumped out, on to the pavement. 'I daresay they've gone to France,' he said, as she followed him. 'Still there may be some one left in the house,' answered Miss Roberts. 'I don't suppose there is,' said Jimmy, looking as if he were going to cry. 'At all events I will ring the bell,' she answered, and Miss Roberts pulled the bell. Jimmy heard it ring quite distinctly, but nobody came to open the door. 'Do ring again,' he said, and once more Miss Roberts pulled the bell. Then a policeman came along the street, and she went to meet him. 'Do you know whether this house is empty?' she asked. 'Been empty the last fortnight,' said the policeman. 'Thank you,' said Miss Roberts. And then she turned to Jimmy: 'Go back into the cab,' she continued, and very unwillingly he took his seat again. 'Gloucester Place, cabman,' she said, with her hand on the door. 'What number?' asked the cabman. 'We--we don't know the number,' cried Jimmy, putting his head out. 'Stop at a shop on the way,' said Miss Roberts as she entered the cab and sat down; 'if I waste any more time I shall lose my train.' 'But suppose Aunt Selina isn't at home either?' exclaimed Jimmy, as the horse started once more. 'In that case I don't know what is to become of you,' said Miss Roberts. 'Because she may have gone to France with Uncle Henry!' Jimmy suggested. 'We will not imagine anything of the kind, if you please!' 'No,' said Jimmy, 'but suppose she has gone to France, you know.' As he spoke, the cab stopped before a large grocer's shop, and without losing a moment Miss Roberts stepped out of the cab, followed by Jimmy. 'Will you kindly let me look at a Directory?' she asked; and the tall young man behind the counter said-- 'Certainly, miss.' He brought the thickest red book which Jimmy had ever seen, and Miss Roberts opened it at once. 'Miss Selina Morton--is that your aunt's name?' she asked, looking round at Jimmy. 'Ye--es,' he answered sorrowfully, for he guessed that she had found out the number. 'Come along then,' said Miss Roberts, and Jimmy walked slowly towards the door. 'Thank you, I am very much obliged,' she continued, smiling at the shopman; but Jimmy did not feel in the least obliged to him. Miss Roberts told the cabman the number, and when the horse started again she turned cheerfully to the boy-- 'We shall soon be there now!' she said. 'I wish we shouldn't,' answered Jimmy. 'Don't you like your Aunt Selina?' asked Miss Roberts. 'Not at all,' said Jimmy. 'Why don't you like her?' asked Miss Roberts. 'You ought to like an aunt, you know.' 'I don't know why, only I don't,' was the answer. It did not take many minutes to drive to Gloucester Place, and although Jimmy did not know what would happen to him if Aunt Selina was out of town, still he almost hoped she had gone to France. But the shutters were not shut at this house, although each of the blinds was drawn exactly a quarter of the way down. Jimmy saw a large tortoise-shell cat lying on one of the window sills, whilst a black cat watched it from inside the room. 'If they do not keep us long at the door,' said Miss Roberts, as she rang the bell, 'I can manage just to catch my train.' It was past two o'clock, and Jimmy thought he could smell something like hot meat. He supposed that if he stayed at Aunt Selina's he should have some dinner, and that would be a good thing at any rate. The door was opened by a tall, thin butler, who looked very solemn and important. He did not stand quite upright, and he had gray whiskers and a bald head. If he had not opened the door, so that Jimmy knew he was the butler, he might have been mistaken for a clergyman. 'Is Miss Morton at home?' asked Miss Roberts. 'No, miss,' said the butler; and he stared at Jimmy first and then at the boxes on the cab. 'How extremely annoying!' cried Miss Roberts. 'Can you tell me how long she will be?' 'I don't think Miss Morton will return before half-past three,' said the butler, whose name was Jones. 'Miss Morton has gone out to luncheon, miss.' 'This is her nephew,' answered Miss Roberts. 'Good-morning, sir,' said Jones, rubbing his hands. 'Good-morning,' said Jimmy. 'I have brought him from Miss Lawson's school at Ramsgate,' Miss Roberts explained, whilst Jimmy stared into the butler's face. 'I don't fancy Miss Morton expected him,' said Jones. 'No,' cried Jimmy, 'she didn't.' 'Miss Lawson is so ill,' Miss Roberts continued, 'that all the boys have been sent home. I took Master Wilmot to his uncle's house in Brook Street, but it was shut up. So I have brought him here.' 'I don't know what Miss Morton will say----' Miss Roberts looked at her watch and interrupted the butler before he had time to finish his sentence. He spoke rather slowly and required a long time to say anything. 'I am not going back to Ramsgate,' said Miss Roberts, 'but I have no doubt Miss Rosina will write to Miss Morton.' 'I beg pardon,' answered Jones, 'but I don't think Miss Morton would like you to leave the young gentleman here.' 'I--I don't want to be left,' cried Jimmy. 'Miss Morton is not particular fond of young gentlemen,' said the butler. 'Cabman,' exclaimed Miss Roberts in a greater hurry than ever, 'carry in the boxes. The two smaller boxes, please.' Jimmy stood on the doorstep, and Jones stood just inside the hall, and Miss Roberts held her watch in her right hand, whilst the cabman got off his seat and took down the trunks. 'Please be quick,' she said, 'or I shall miss my train after all.' The butler stroked his chin as the cabman carried the clothes-box into the house and put it down near the dining-room door; then he brought in the play-box, and after that he wiped his forehead with a large red handkerchief and climbed up to his seat again. 'Good-bye,' said Miss Roberts, putting away her watch and taking Jimmy's hand. 'I wish you would take me too,' answered Jimmy rather tearfully. 'I can't do that,' she said, 'and I am sure you will be very happy with your aunt.' Jimmy felt quite sure he shouldn't be happy, and he certainly did not look very happy as Miss Roberts was driven away in the cab; and when he saw it turn the corner, he felt more lonely than he had ever felt before. 'Well, this is a nice kettle of fish,' said the butler. 'Is it?' asked Jimmy, not understanding in the least what he meant. 'I wonder what Miss Morton will say about it?' cried Jones. 'What do you think she'll say?' asked Jimmy, staring up at the butler's face. 'Well,' was the answer, 'you had better come indoors, anyhow,' and Jimmy entered the house and stood leaning against his clothes-box, whilst Jones shut the street door. 'Step this way, sir,' said Jones; but although he took Jimmy to the dining-room, unfortunately there was no sign of dinner. He saw the black cat still sitting on a chair watching the tortoise-shell cat outside the window, and on the hearth-rug lay a tabby one, with its head on the fender, fast asleep. 'You had better sit here until Miss Morton comes home,' said the butler. 'Do you think she'll be very long?' asked Jimmy. 'About half-past three,' was the answer, and Jones opened the coal-box to put some more coal on the fire as he spoke. 'Because I haven't had any dinner at all,' said Jimmy. 'Oh, you haven't, haven't you?' cried Jones, as he stood holding the coal shovel. 'No,' said Jimmy, 'and I'm rather hungry.' 'Well, I don't know what Miss Morton'll say about you,' was the answer. 'So,' he added, as he put away the shovel, 'you think you'd like something to eat?' 'I'm sure I should--very much,' cried Jimmy. The butler went away, but he soon came back with a folded white cloth in his hands. Whilst Jimmy kneeled down on the hearth-rug rubbing the head of the tabby cat, Jones laid the cloth, and then he went away again and returned with a plate of hot roast-beef and Yorkshire pudding and potatoes and cauliflower. He placed a chair with its back to the fire, and told Jimmy to ring when he was ready for some apple-tart. When Jimmy was alone eating his dinner and enjoying it very much, he began to think it might not be so bad to stay at Aunt Selina's after all. The black cat came from the chair by the window and meowed on one side of him, and the tabby cat meowed on the other, and Jimmy fed them both whilst he fed himself. When his plate was quite empty, he rang the bell and Jones brought him a large piece of apple-tart, with a brown jug of cream. Then presently the butler took away the things, and Jimmy sat down in an arm-chair by the fire with one of the cats on each knee. Every few minutes he looked over his shoulder to see whether Aunt Selina was coming, and by and by the bell rang. Jimmy rose from his chair and the cats jumped to the floor, and, going close to the window, he saw his aunt's tall, thin figure on the doorstep. CHAPTER IV AUNT SELINA AT HOME Miss Morton had been to lunch with a friend, and she naturally expected to find her house exactly the same as she had left it. She was a lady who always liked to find things exactly the same as she left them; she did not care for fresh faces or fresh places, and she certainly did not care to see two boxes in her hall. Miss Morton was a little short-sighted, but the moment that she entered the house she noticed something unusual. So she stopped just within the door before the butler could shut it and put on her double eye-glasses, and then she stared in astonishment at Jimmy's boxes. 'What are those?' she asked. 'Boxes, miss,' was the answer. 'Please don't be stupid,' said Miss Morton. 'I beg pardon,' replied the butler. 'I see quite distinctly that they are boxes,' she said. 'What I wish to know is, whom the boxes belong to.' 'To Master Wilmot,' said the butler. Miss Morton gave such a violent start that her eye-glasses fell from her nose. 'Master Wilmot!' she exclaimed. 'Yes, miss.' 'You do not mean to tell me that the boy is here!' 'He's been here since about two o'clock,' said the butler. 'Surely he did not come alone?' cried Miss Morton. 'No, miss.' 'Who brought him?' 'A young lady who seemed to be his governess,' the butler explained. 'She said that Miss Lawson was ill, and that she'd sent all the young gentlemen home.' 'This is certainly not his home,' said Miss Morton. 'No, miss,' answered Jones. 'I told the young lady you wouldn't be best pleased, but she insisted on leaving him.' 'Where is Master Wilmot?' asked Miss Morton. 'In the dining-room,' was the answer, and the butler opened the door. Miss Morton had spoken rather loudly, quite loudly enough for Jimmy to overhear every word she had said. It made him feel uncomfortable, and as the door opened he stood with his back to the window, with his hands in his jacket pockets, waiting until his Aunt Selina entered the room, and the butler shut the door after her. She put on her eye-glasses again, and it seemed a long time before either she or Jimmy spoke. She moved her head as if she were looking at him all over from top to toes. Jimmy began to feel more uncomfortable than ever, and at last he thought he really must say something. 'Good-morning,' he cried. 'Why did the people send you here?' asked Aunt Selina. 'You see,' said Jimmy, 'Aunt Mary and Uncle Henry were out and the house was shut up.' 'I always said it was foolish to travel at this time of year,' was the answer. 'So Miss Roberts brought me here,' said Jimmy. 'Well,' exclaimed Aunt Selina, 'I am sure I don't know what is to be done with you.' 'I didn't want to come,' answered Jimmy. 'Don't be rude,' said his aunt. 'Now you are here, I suppose I must keep you for to-night. But there is no accommodation here for boys.' 'I had a very nice dinner, though,' said Jimmy. 'Have you washed your face?' she asked suddenly. 'No,' he answered, for washing his face was a thing he never felt anxious about. Miss Morton walked to the bell and rang it. A few moments later the butler re-entered the room, standing with one hand on the door. 'Jones,' she said, 'take Master Wilmot to the spare bedroom to wash his face; and give him a comb and brush to do his hair.' Jones took Jimmy upstairs to a large bedroom, and poured some water into a basin. Then he brought a clean towel, and showed Jimmy where to find the soap and the comb and brush. The butler then left him alone, and the boy took off his jacket and dipped his hands in the water. When he thought his hands were clean enough, he washed a round place on his face, and having wiped this nearly dry, he went to the looking-glass and brushed the front of his hair where he had made it wet. When he had put his coat on again he wondered whether he ought to wait for the butler or to go downstairs alone; but as Jones did not come back, Jimmy opened the door and went down. He saw Miss Morton sitting in an arm-chair, and now that she had taken off her bonnet and veil he thought she looked more severe than ever. 'Come here, James,' she said, as he stood near the door. No one else had ever called him James. 'When did you hear from your mother?' she asked. 'I didn't have a letter last month,' he answered. 'I asked when you did have a letter,' said Aunt Selina,--'not when you didn't have one.' 'I think it was about two months ago,' said Jimmy. 'Did she say anything about coming home?' asked Aunt Selina. 'She said I might see her soon,' cried Jimmy. 'I do hope I shall.' 'Very likely you will,' said his aunt, 'although your mother has not written to me for six months.' 'Then how do you know?' asked Jimmy. 'Because she wrote to your Aunt Ellen at Chesterham, and your Aunt Ellen wrote to me. I should not be surprised if your father and mother were on their way home now. They may arrive in England quite soon.' 'It would be nice,' said Jimmy, and he began to laugh. 'Will they come here?' he asked. 'Certainly not,' was the answer. 'I have no accommodation for visitors.' 'There's the spare bedroom,' cried Jimmy. 'I have no doubt,' said Aunt Selina, 'that they will go to Aunt Ellen's at Chesterham----' 'Couldn't I go to Aunt Ellen's?' asked Jimmy eagerly. 'And pray who is to take you?' demanded Miss Morton. 'Why, couldn't I go alone?' said Jimmy. Miss Morton did not answer, but she put on her eye-glasses again, and looked Jimmy up and down from head to foot. 'Ring the bell,' she said, and when he had rung the bell and the butler had come, Aunt Selina told him to send Hannah. Jimmy stood on the hearth-rug--whilst the black cat rubbed its back against his leg--wondering who Hannah might be. When she came, he saw that she was one of the servants, with a red, kind-looking face; and Aunt Selina told her to take him away and to give him some tea. When they were outside the door Hannah took his hand, and he felt that he liked having his hand taken, and she led him downstairs to a small room near the kitchen where she gave him such a tea as he had never had before. There were cake and jam, and hot scones, and buttered toast, and although it was not very long since dinner, Jimmy ate a good meal. He told Hannah all about his father and mother and Winnie, and how that Miss Morton had said perhaps they were on their way home; and he told her he hoped that his aunt would send him to Chesterham. 'Because,' he said, 'I know I could go all right alone.' Hannah put an arm round him and kissed him, but Jimmy did not much like being kissed; still he felt lonely this afternoon, and he did not mind it so much as he would have done sometimes, especially if any of his schoolfellows had been there. 'Now,' said Hannah presently, 'I think you had better go back to Miss Morton.' 'Must I?' asked Jimmy. 'Because I like being here best.' But she led him back to the dining-room, and as soon as he entered the door Aunt Selina asked what time he went to bed. 'Eight o'clock at school,' he answered, 'but when I am at Aunt Mary's she always lets me stay till half-past.' 'Aunt Mary always spoils you,' said Miss Morton. 'Sit down,' she added, and Jimmy took a chair on the opposite side of the fire-place. 'I suppose you don't remember your mother,' she said. 'No,' answered Jimmy. 'Shall you be glad to see her?' asked Aunt Selina. 'Yes, very glad,' said Jimmy. 'Shan't you?' he asked, looking into his aunt's face. 'Of course I shall be pleased to see my sister,' was the answer. 'And I shall be glad to see Winnie, too,' said Jimmy. But Aunt Selina's words had put a fresh idea into his mind. He seemed never to have realised until now that the mother whom he had never seen, although he had thought about her so much, was his Aunt Selina's sister. He thought that sisters must surely be very much alike; but if his mother was like her sister, why, Jimmy did not feel certain it would be nice to have her home again after all. He forgot that he was staring at his aunt until she asked him what he was looking at. 'Is my mother as old as you?' he asked. 'I cannot say they teach politeness at Miss Lawson's,' Aunt Selina answered. 'But is she?' asked Jimmy, for it seemed very important that he should know at once. 'Your mother is a few years younger than I am,' said his aunt, 'but she would be very angry with you for asking such a question.' 'Can she be angry?' asked Jimmy. 'She will be very angry indeed when you are naughty,' said Miss Morton. For a few minutes Jimmy sat staring into the fire. 'Is--is she like you?' he asked. 'She is not quite so tall.' 'But is she like you?' asked Jimmy. 'We used to be considered very much alike,' was the answer, and Jimmy felt inclined to cry. Then Aunt Selina said it was his bed-time, and he came close to her and kissed her cheek. 'Am I to go to Aunt Ellen's?' he asked. 'I shall not tell you until to-morrow morning,' said Aunt Selina; and Jimmy fell asleep in the large spare room wondering whether he should go to-morrow to Chesterham or not. CHAPTER V AT THE RAILWAY STATION When Jimmy awoke the next morning he found that Hannah was drawing up his blind. The sun-light fell into the room, and the smoke rose from the can of hot water on the wash-stand. 'You must get up at once,' said Hannah, 'or you will be late for breakfast, and Miss Morton won't like that.' He would have liked to lie in the warm bed a little longer, and when at last he jumped out he felt rather cold. Jimmy was not used to dressing himself quite without help, for at school Miss Roberts had always come to tie his necktie and button his collar. He found it difficult to button it this morning with his cold little fingers; and as for the necktie, it was not tied quite so nicely as it might have been. Still he was ready when he heard a bell ring, and he ran downstairs two steps at a time, and almost ran against Aunt Selina at the bottom. She looked more stiff and severe in the morning than she had looked last night, and not at all the sort of person you would like to run against. 'Good-morning,' said Jimmy, as she entered the dining-room. She shook hands with Jimmy and her hand felt very cold; but when once he was seated at the table the coffee was nice and hot, and so were the eggs and bacon, and Jimmy had no time to think of anything else just yet. But just as he was wondering whether he should ask for another rasher of bacon, his aunt spoke to him. 'When you have _quite_ finished,' she said, 'I wish to speak to you,' and after that he did not like to ask for any more. So Jimmy pushed back his chair, and his Aunt Selina rose from hers and went to stand by the fire. 'I did not wish to tell you last night for fear of exciting you and keeping you awake,' she said, 'but I wrote to your Aunt Ellen while you were having tea.' 'Oh, thank you, I'm glad of that,' answered Jimmy. 'I told her I should send you to Chesterham by the half-past twelve train,' Miss Morton explained, 'and I asked her to meet you at the station.' 'Hurray,' cried Jimmy, 'then I am to go this morning.' 'It is not quite certain yet,' was the answer. 'I asked your Aunt Ellen to send me a telegram if she could receive you. If the telegram arrives before twelve, you will go by the half-past twelve train.' 'But suppose it doesn't come?' said Jimmy. 'I sincerely trust it will,' was the answer. 'So do I,' cried Jimmy. 'I have ordered a packet of sandwiches to be prepared,' said Miss Morton. 'Ham or beef?' asked Jimmy. 'Ham--do you like ham?' 'Oh yes, when there's no mustard,' said Jimmy. 'I told Jones not to have any mustard put on them,' answered his aunt; 'and,' she continued, 'if you go to-day I shall give you half-a-crown.' 'Shan't I have the half-crown if I don't go to-day?' asked Jimmy eagerly. 'I hope you will go,' she said. 'But you must not spend it in waste.' 'I won't,' cried Jimmy. 'I don't suppose you will stay with your Aunt Ellen long,' said Miss Morton, 'because there is no doubt your father and mother will soon be in England, and then they will be able to look after you. Now,' she added, 'if you think you can keep still and not fidget, you may sit down by the window and watch for the telegram.' Jimmy lifted the tabby cat off the chair, and took it on his knees as he sat down. While he sat stroking the cat he really did not feel much doubt about the telegram. He wanted it to come so much that he felt sure it would come soon, and surely enough it arrived before eleven o'clock. Jimmy rose from his chair as Jones brought it into the room on a tray, and the tabby cat dug its claws into his jacket and clung to him, so that Jimmy found it rather difficult to put it down. He did not take his eyes from Miss Morton's face all the time she was reading the telegram. 'It is extremely fortunate I wrote yesterday,' she exclaimed. 'Am I to go?' asked Jimmy eagerly. 'Yes,' she answered, 'and who do you think will meet you at Chesterham station?' 'Not mother!' cried Jimmy, very excitedly. 'Your father and mother,' said Miss Morton. 'And Winnie?' 'They are not likely to take a child to meet you,' she answered. 'They arrived only last night, and if they had not received my letter they would have gone to Ramsgate to-day. As it is they will meet you at the station, and they think it will be quite safe for you to travel alone if I see you safely in the train.' 'Shall you?' asked Jimmy. 'I shall send Jones,' was the answer. 'What time does the train get to Chesterham?' asked Jimmy. 'At four o'clock,' she said; and then she took out her purse and found two shillings and a sixpence, which she gave to Jimmy. 'Where will you put them?' she asked. 'I've got a purse, too,' he answered, and he put his hand in his jacket pocket and brought out a piece of string, a crumpled handkerchief, a knife, and last of all a small purse. In this he put the two shillings and the sixpence, and then he could think of nothing but the joy of seeing his mother and father. He stood by the window watching the passers-by and wondering whether his mother was like any of them, and at least he hoped that she might not be so very much like his Aunt Selina. He went in search of Hannah and told her all about the telegram. He longed for the time to come to start for the station, and when he saw his boxes being taken out to the cab, he danced about the hall in a manner which made Miss Morton feel very pleased he was going. He put on his overcoat, and held open the pocket whilst Hannah forced in the large packet of sandwiches, and although they bulged out a good deal Jimmy did not mind that at all. He shook hands with his aunt and entered the cab, and Jones stepped in after him. 'My father and mother are going to meet me at Chesterham,' said Jimmy as soon as the horse started. He talked of them all the way to the railway station--not the same station at which he had arrived with Miss Roberts yesterday, but a much larger and a rather dirtier looking one, with a great glass roof. But before Jimmy reached that part of it, he went with Jones to take his ticket. 'You are to put it in your purse,' said the butler, 'and mind you don't lose it.' 'I shan't lose it,' answered Jimmy, taking out his purse, and as he put the ticket away he looked to make sure that the half-crown was all right. 'Now,' said the butler, 'we'll go and find the train.' It was not very difficult to find the train for Chesterham, because it was waiting all ready at the platform; but when they got to the train it took Jones a long time to find Jimmy a suitable first-class compartment. At last he stopped at one which contained an old gentleman and two ladies. The old gentleman was sitting next to the door, reading a newspaper, and he did not look at all glad when Jimmy sat down opposite to him. 'I think you'll do now,' said Jones. 'Very nicely, thank you,' answered Jimmy, as the butler stood by the door, but he was beginning to feel just a little nervous. You must remember he was not quite eight years of age; he was only a small boy, and he had never travelled quite alone before. He felt sure he should like travelling alone, and in fact he did not much mind how he travelled so that his mother met him at the end of his journey. Still, now that he had taken his seat and the butler was going away in a few minutes, Jimmy began to feel a little nervous. 'Got your sandwiches?' asked Jones, with a hand on the door. 'Yes, I've got them,' answered Jimmy, feeling them to make certain. 'I've never seen them before, you know,' Jimmy added. 'What, the sandwiches?' asked Jones. 'No, my father and mother,' said Jimmy. 'They're going to meet me.' 'Oh, I see,' answered the butler, and he ought to have understood, for Jimmy had told him a great many times since they left Aunt Selina's house. 'You're just going to start,' Jones added. 'Good-bye,' cried Jimmy, and he put his hand out of the window and the butler shook it. 'Good-bye, sir,' he answered, and Jimmy felt quite sorry when Jones let go his hand. But the train was beginning to move; the butler stepped back and took out his pocket-handkerchief and waved it, but it was to dry his eyes that Jimmy took out his; for when the train glided away and he could not see Jones any more Jimmy felt very much alone, especially as the old gentleman opposite kept lowering his paper and looking down at his trousers and then frowning at him. CHAPTER VI THE JOURNEY For the first quarter of an hour after the train started Jimmy was contented to gaze out of the window, but presently, growing tired of doing that, he turned to look at the two ladies at the farther end of the compartment. As Jimmy moved in his seat, his boots touched the old gentleman's black trousers. Laying aside his newspaper the old gentleman leaned forward to look at them, and then he brushed off the mud. A few moments later Jimmy's boots touched his trousers again, and the old gentleman began to cough. 'I should feel greatly obliged,' he said in a loud voice, 'if you would not make a door-mat of my legs.' 'I beg your pardon,' answered Jimmy, and he tucked his feet as far under his seat as they would go. 'You should be more careful,' said the old gentleman, and then one of the ladies suggested that Jimmy should sit by her side. 'I wanted to look out at the window,' he answered. 'Well, you can look out at my window,' she said, and so Jimmy went to the other end of the compartment, and she gave him her seat; and for an hour or more the train went on its way, stopping at one or two stations, until presently it came to a standstill again. 'Where is this?' asked one of the ladies. The other looked out at the window and said-- 'Meresleigh.' 'We ought not to stop here,' answered her friend. At the other end of the compartment the old gentleman let down his window: 'Hi, Hi! Guard, Guard!' he cried, and the guard came to the door. 'Why are we stopping here?' asked the old gentleman. 'Something's gone wrong with the engine, sir.' 'How long shall we stay?' asked the gentleman. 'Maybe a quarter of an hour, sir,' said the guard. 'We've got to wait for a fresh engine, but it won't be long.' 'We may as well get out,' cried one of the ladies, and as soon as they had left the carriage the old gentleman also stepped on to the platform, and Jimmy did not see why he should not do the same. So he got out, and seeing a small crowd near the engine he walked along the platform towards it. The engine-driver stood with an oil-can in one hand talking to the station-master, but there being nothing interesting to see, Jimmy began to look about the large station. It was then that he began to feel hungry. His feet were very cold, and the wind blew along the platform, so that Jimmy turned up his overcoat collar as he stamped about to get warm. As he walked up and down he noticed a good many people going in and out at a door, and looking in he saw that it led to the refreshment room. Now, Jimmy had two shillings and a sixpence in his purse, and had no doubt that lemonade could be bought at the counter where a good many persons were standing. Feeling a little shy, he went to the counter, and presently succeeded in making one of the young women behind it see him. 'What do you want?' she asked. 'A bottle of lemonade--have you got any ginger-beer?' asked Jimmy. 'Which do you want?' said the young woman. Jimmy could not make up his mind for a few moments, but he stood thinking with his hands in his pockets. 'Is it stone-bottle ginger-beer?' he asked. 'Yes,' was the answer. 'I think I'll have lemonade,' cried Jimmy, and she turned away impatiently to get the bottle. It was rather cold, but still Jimmy enjoyed his lemonade very much, and before he had half finished it, he put his sixpence on the counter. He thought it was a little dear at fourpence, and he looked sorry when he received only twopence change. Then he emptied his glass, and went outside again, thinking he would eat his ham-sandwiches. But the wind blew colder than ever, and seeing another open door a little farther along the platform Jimmy cautiously peeped in. The large room was quite empty, and an enormous fire was burning in the grate. He thought it would be far pleasanter to sit down to eat his sandwiches comfortably beside the fire than to eat them whilst he walked about the cold, windy platform. Before he entered the room he looked towards the train, which still stood where it had stopped. There was quite a small crowd near the engine, and whilst some persons had re-entered their carriages, others walked up and down in front of theirs. Pushing back the door of the waiting-room, Jimmy went to the farther end, and sat down on a bench close to the fire. Then he tugged the sandwiches out of his pocket, untied the string, and began to eat them. He did not stop until the last was finished, and by that time he began to feel remarkably comfortable and rather sleepy. He made up his mind that he would not on any account close his eyes, but they felt so heavy that they really would not keep open; his chin dropped on to his chest, and in a few moments he was sound asleep. Then for some time all the busy life of the great railway station went on: trains arrived, stopped, and started again; other trains whistled as they dashed past without stopping; porters hurried hither and thither with piles of luggage, and still a small dark-haired boy sat on the bench in the waiting-room, unconscious of all that was happening. Presently Jimmy awoke. He opened his eyes and began to rub them, thinking at first that the bell which he heard was rung to call the boys at Miss Lawson's school. But when he looked around him, he soon discovered that he was not in the school dormitory, and then as he became more wide-awake he remembered where he really was and began
{'title': 'The Little Clown by Thomas Cobb', 'source': 'Project Gutenberg', 'lang': 'en'}