Me and Nobbles

by Amy Le Feuvre

Lady Isobel was silent; the children sometimes puzzled her.

'God never makes any faverits,' said Bobby. 'My old nurse telled me that once. He loves ev'rybodies and all alike, doesn't he, Aunt Is'bel?'

Then without waiting for her to reply he proceeded:

'I try to love ev'rybodies alike, but I love God first, and then my father.'

'And who next?' asked True curiously.

'I finks,' said Bobby, hesitating, 'truthfully, I finks I loves Nobbles next best.'

'I'm sure you oughtn't to,' said True; 'he's just a stick.'

Bobby shook his head. 'I loves you, Aunt Is'bel, and Master Mortimer, and True, but Nobbles comed to me first, and I couldn't stop loving him. He's a kind of part of me, you see, and ev'ryfing I does he does too.'

'He's only a stick,' repeated True.

'Who saved father's life?' said Bobby with sudden warmth.