"You were a babe in arms then," said Jake.
She shook her head, quaintly smiling. "I wasn't ever that. I think I must have been born old—began at the wrong end somehow. Some people do, you know."
"I know," said Jake. "When that happens, there's only one thing to be done."
"What?" queried Toby.
His eyes were watching her intently, but there was nothing alarming in their scrutiny. He made reply with absolute gentleness. "Begin again."
"Ah!" A little sound that was more than a sigh escaped her, and then quite suddenly her other hand came out to him; she lifted a quivering face. "You going to help me?" she said.
The action touched him. He took her by the shoulders as he might have taken a boy. "I'll help you," he said.
"You'll be good to me?" Her voice was quivering also, it had a sound of tears.
"Sure!" said Jake, laconic and forceful.
"Keep me straight and pull me up when I go wrong?" pursued Toby tremulously.