“I like you best,” said John[John]. “But here we are. Do you see that house down the lane?”

“Yes,” said Tom.

“That’s where we live.”

It was a large, square, comfortable farm-house, such as we often see in farming towns. The farmer’s wife, a stout, comely woman, stood at the door.

“Who’ve you got with you, James?” she asked.

“It’s a girl that got left by the train,” said James. “She’s got no money to pay for her lodging. I told her you would let her sleep here.”

“Of course I will. Come right in, child. How did you get left?”

“I just got out a minute,” said Tom, “and the cars went off and left me.”

“What a pity! Who was travelling with you?”

“My granny,” answered Tom.