"That accounts for his accent then," Bob broke in. "I knew he was a Paddy the minute I heard him speak."
"It would be wonderful if he had no touch of brogue, considering he has lived all his life in Ireland," Mrs. Glanville remarked smilingly.
"How do you know that, mother?" inquired Kitty. "Have you been talking to Mr. Shuttleworth?"
"No; but I've had a letter from Mr. Shuttleworth's sister-in-law, telling me her eldest boy—Tim, she calls him, short for Timothy, I suppose—is staying with his uncle here, and asking me to be kind to him."
"How extraordinary!" exclaimed Kitty, whilst her brother gave a soft whistle of surprise.
"Not so extraordinary as you think, my dear, seeing that Tim's mother was once a school-friend of mine. She was an Irish girl, and I knew she had married some one called Shuttleworth, but it never occurred to me that her husband might be in any way connected with our neighbour. Tim's mother does not know we are living next door to her brother-in-law; she simply addressed her letter to this town hoping that I should get it, and as we are the only Glanvilles in the place, it came direct."
"And now, what do you mean to do, mother?" Kitty asked eagerly, as Mrs. Glanville paused and glanced through her letter once more.
"I shall call next door to see my old friend's son to-morrow," was the response, "and most probably bring him back with me to tea. You must not be prejudiced against him, children; if he is anything like his mother in disposition, you will be sure to get on with him, and there will be no difficulty in your making friends with him, for she was one of the kindest-hearted girls I ever knew. Don't you think, when he perched himself on the ladder and stared at you over the wall, he might have been wishful of making your acquaintance? That is my opinion. Had I been in your place, Bob, I fancy I should have spoken to him; he must be about your age—a trifle younger perhaps, but not much. You must try to be friends with him—a stranger in a strange land. I daresay he has been home-sick, poor child!"
"What a nuisance!" exclaimed Bob, as soon as his mother had left the room. "You will see that boy will spoil our holidays—or what is left of them. We shall have to be civil to him—which he certainly has not been to us!"