Page:The railway children (IA railwaychildren00nesb 1).pdf/299

 Mother can't have secrets to talk with Dr. Forrest's stable-man—and you said it was him."

"Bobbie," called Mother's voice.

They opened the kitchen door, and Mother leaned over the stair railing.

"Jim's grandfather has come," she said; "wash your hands and faces and then you can see him. He wants to see you!" The bedroom door shut again.

"There now!" said Peter; "fancy us not even thinking of that! Let's have some hot water, Mrs. Viney. I'm as black as your hat."

The three were indeed dirty, for the stuff you clean brass candlesticks with is very far from cleaning to the cleaner.

They were still busy with soap and flannel when they heard the boots and the voice come down the stairs and go into the dining room. And when they were clean, though still damp,—because it takes such a long time to dry your hands properly, and they were very impatient to see the grandfather,—they filed into the dining room.

Mother was sitting in the window-seat, and in the leather-covered arm-chair that Father always used to sit in at the other house sat—