Jim Black turned Nobbles' little head round in his hand with a smile upon his lips.
'Be this here a Chinyman?' he asked Bobby.
'Oh no,' said Bobby gravely, shaking his head. 'He came from over the sea; but he understands my English. He's dreadfully hurt; and he doesn't want to have a new body, it will feel so strange to him.'
The old man winked at Nurse. 'Ah, well, we'll see whether we can mend his old body first.'
He was untying Nobbles' bandages, and when he came in two, he inspected both pieces with great solemnity.
'What be you going to do with him? Keep him in a glass case?'
'Oh no; he always lives with me, and comes with me everywheres.'
Bobby looked up at the umbrella-mender with serious alarm in his eyes.
'Then this here broken body be of no manner of use. You leave him with me and I'll give him a good stout stick, and he'll be better'n new.'
'You won't hurt him doing it?'