'Poor old Gilley!' he repeated. 'It must have been rather horrid for you—much worse than for those two young imps. Mamma told me all about it, as soon as she got the letter—she told me a good deal last night about what Miss Bogie, or whatever the old thing's name is, had told her.'

I looked up at this.

'Yes?' I said. 'I don't understand it at all, yet. But, Clem, what shall I do about school to-morrow? I've no lessons ready or anything.'

'Is it that that you are worrying about?' he said.

'Partly, and——'

'Well, you can put that out of your head. It's all right. Mamma told me what to say—that there'd been a mistake about the trains, and you'd had to stay the night in London. It wasn't necessary to say more, and you'll find it all right, I promise you.'

I was very glad of this, and I said so, and thanked Clem.

He sat still for a minute or two as if he was expecting me to speak.

'Well?' he said at last.

'Mamma's been very good, very good about it altogether,' I said at last, 'and so has papa, by what she says. But still—' and then I hesitated.