“It’s Mr. Jim, sir,” he said. “’E’s ’ome.”
For a long moment Wally stared at him.
“You’re not mad, I suppose?” he said slowly. “Or perhaps I am. Do you mean——”
“Them ’Uns couldn’t kill him, sir!” Allenby’s voice rose on a note of triumph. “Let me take your coat, sir—’e’s in the study. And you coming just puts the top on everything, sir!”
He reached up for Wally’s coat. But the boy broke from him and ran blindly to the study, bursting in upon the group by the fire. There he stopped dead, and stared at them.
“Old chap!” said Jim. He sprang to him, and flung an arm round his shoulders. Then he gave a great sigh of utter contentment, and echoed Allenby unconsciously.
“Well, if that doesn’t make everything just perfect!” he said.
CHAPTER XX
ALL CLEAR
“Kiddie, are you awake?”
“Come in, Jimmy.”