'I suppose you don't remember your mother,' she said.
'No,' answered Jimmy.
'Shall you be glad to see her?' asked Aunt Selina.
'Yes, very glad,' said Jimmy. 'Shan't you?' he asked, looking into his aunt's face.
'Of course I shall be pleased to see my sister,' was the answer.
'And I shall be glad to see Winnie, too,' said Jimmy. But Aunt Selina's words had put a fresh idea into his mind. He seemed never to have realised until now that the mother whom he had never seen, although he had thought about her so much, was his Aunt Selina's sister. He thought that sisters must surely be very much alike; but if his mother was like her sister, why, Jimmy did not feel certain it would be nice to have her home again after all. He forgot that he was staring at his aunt until she asked him what he was looking at.
'Is my mother as old as you?' he asked.
'I cannot say they teach politeness at Miss Lawson's,' Aunt Selina answered.
'But is she?' asked Jimmy, for it seemed very important that he should know at once.
'Your mother is a few years younger than I am,' said his aunt, 'but she would be very angry with you for asking such a question.'