“Is Mary well, sir? Is she still with you?” I inquired, eagerly.
“Yes, Peter, thy sister is as one of my family. Though greatly pressed by her newly-found relatives in Shetland to go there and reside with them, she has always replied that she was sure thou wast alive, and that thou wouldst come back to Portsmouth to look for her and that it would grieve thee much not to find her.”
“How kind and thoughtful!” I exclaimed. “Do let me go on, sir, at once to see my young sister.”
“Stay, lad, stay,” he answered. “The surprise might be too great for her. I will go back to my house and tell her that thou hast returned home safe. Thou art so changed that she would not know thee, and therefore thou and thy companions may follow close behind.”
We saw Mr Gray go to his door and knock. It was opened by a woman-servant, who I was sure, when I caught sight of her countenance, was Nancy herself. She saw me at the same moment, and directly Mr Gray had entered, came out on the doorstep, and regarded me intently.
“Yes, I’m sure it is!” she exclaimed. “Peter, Peter, aren’t you Peter, now? I have not forgotten thy face, though thee be grown into a young man!” and she stretched out her arms, quite regardless of the passers-by, ready to give me such another embrace as she had bestowed on me when I went away. I could not restrain myself any longer, but, giving the things I was carrying to Jack, sprang up the steps.
“Here he is, Miss Mary, here he is!” cried Nancy, and I saw close behind her a tall, fair girl.
Nancy, however, had time to give me a kiss and a hug before I could disengage myself, and the next moment my sweet sister Mary had her arms round my neck, and, half crying, half laughing, was exclaiming—
“I knew you would come, I knew you would, Peter; I was sure you were not lost!”
My brother Jack and Jim were, meantime, staying outside, not liking to come in till they were summoned. Nancy did not recognise them, and thought that they were two shipmates who had accompanied me to carry my things.