Part 20 (2/2)

Bell would have insisted on Lord Carresford's returning with them at once to Navesink, but the latter explained that he had promised to dine with some friends at the Highlands that evening, and would consequently be unable to arrive at the Bells' before the following day. It was getting late, and as Dr. Bell was anxious to get his party home as soon as possible, the good-byes and thanks were quickly said and the four children were packed into the Bells' comfortable depot wagon. Lord Carresford insisted on carrying Jack to the carriage.

”Good-bye, my small friend,” he said kindly, as he tucked the laprobe about the little boy's feet. ”I shall see you again, I hope, when I come to Navesink.”

”Good-bye, sir, and thank you very much,” said Jack, holding out his hand. ”I am very glad I met you. I have wanted for a long time to meet a lord, but I didn't really believe I ever should.”

It was nearly eight o'clock before the party reached home, and Dr. Bell drove at once to the boarding-house to leave Betty and Jack. Mrs.

Randall was standing on the piazza gazing anxiously out into the gathering dusk.

”Here we are, mother,” called Betty, as the carriage drew up before the door; ”we're all right, and I'm sure Jack hasn't taken cold.”

Mrs. Randall hurried down the steps, and took Jack in her arms.

”Let me carry him,” she said almost sharply to the doctor, who would have lifted the child from the carriage. ”Oh, my little boy, were you very, very much frightened?”

”I was pretty frightened at first,” Jack admitted, with his arms clasped tight around his mother's neck, ”but afterwards, when the yacht came, and the lord was so kind, I liked it, and then it was a great comfort to know you weren't frightened about us.”

”Are you sure you were warm enough all the time?” Mrs. Randall questioned anxiously.

”Oh, yes, as warm as toast,” said Jack, laughing. ”They wrapped me all up in the laprobe driving home--and see this pretty silk handkerchief.

The lord tied it around my neck for fear I should be cold.”

”The lord?” repeated Mrs. Randall, looking very much puzzled.

”Why, yes, the lord that owns the yacht--and isn't it funny, mother, he's the same lord that's coming to stay at Dr. Bell's. He said he hoped he should see me again, and I hope so too, for he is the nicest gentleman I ever met.”

”Mother,” said Jack an hour later, when his mother was putting him to bed, ”do you know, I'm more glad than I ever was before that I'm an English boy.”

”Why?” his mother asked, smiling.

”Because when I grow up I shall be an Englishman, and I do think Englishmen are very splendid. I like Dr. Bell, and Mr. Hamilton, and a good many other American gentlemen, but I never saw any one quite so splendid as that lord.”

Mrs. Randall laughed.

”You enthusiastic little hero wors.h.i.+per,” she said. ”What was the lord's name, by the way?”

”I don't know,” said Jack; ”Lulu just called him 'your lords.h.i.+p.' They might have names like other people, I suppose.”

”Yes, of course, and it isn't customary to address a lord as 'your lords.h.i.+p' either, at least not among people of our cla.s.s.”

”That must be why he laughed when Lulu did it,” said Betty reflectively, ”but she only wanted to be very respectful. Dr. Bell called him Jack.”

”Betty,” whispered Jack, when their mother had left the room, and the two children were alone together, ”do you suppose we shall ever see Uncle Jack?”

”I don't know,” said Betty sadly. ”I'm sure mother never will write to him, and of course he wouldn't be likely to come to America.”

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