for me again as he used to."
"Don't be so unhappy, dear Mary," said both the Coos together; "mostlikely things won't be so bad as you fear."
"You say," Mr Coo went on, "that Michael is coming back again soon?"
"Yes," Mary replied. "Aunt told me that he has written to say he willbe here to-morrow evening, but only for two nights. Then he has to goback to his ship, and I daresay he won't be home again for--oh, Idaresay not for a whole year."
"To-morrow evening," repeated Mr Coo; "well then, do you think you canpromise to make him come up here to your window the morning after, attwelve o'clock?"
"Oh yes, yes," said Mary, her face lighting up, and looking ready tojump with joy. "You mean that you'll come then for him to see you? Oh,thank you, dear Cooies, thank you so much. How I do wish you were goingto stay, and not go off to that horrid forest!"
"It is a lovely place," said Mrs Coo, "and so you would think. And whoknows--some day you may see it for yourself."
"But for the present we must be off," said Mr Coo. "Good-bye till theday after to-morrow, at twelve o'clock; and be sure you don't cry anymore."
"I'll have some nice crumbs and fresh water ready for you again," saidMary.
CHAPTER THREE.
"ONE ON HER SHOULDER, ONE ON HER OUTSTRETCHED HAND."
Late the next evening a tall boy in midshipman's uniform ran upstairsand into the drawing-room of Mary's home. His mother was sitting therealone. She looked up brightly.
"I thought it was you, dear Mike," she said. "No one else comes withsuch a rush. I am so glad you have got off again; but I suppose it isonly for two nights?"
"Only," he replied; "but it is lucky to have got even that. May I havesome tea, mother, or is it too late?"
"Of course not. Ring, dear, and you will have it at once."
"And how's Mary?" said Michael, as he drank his tea.
His mother looked a little surprised.
"_Mary_?" she repeated. "Quite well. Indeed I think she is scarcelyever ill."
"Oh, I don't mean really _ill_," said the boy; "but don't you rememberwhat you were saying--you said nurse had been speaking of it--that Maryis getting fanciful and dreamy, and all that sort of thing, and morelike that since I've been so much away. And the other day I did thinkshe seemed rather down in the mouth."
His mother looked thoughtful.
"I am sure she misses you a great deal," she said. "The others are somuch younger. And then the change from the country to living in a town.I daresay she misses country things."
"I expect she does--lots," said Michael; and though he did not speak ofit--as he had a feeling that Mary had trusted him with what she counteda sort of secret--his mind went back to what she had told him of thewood-pigeons and their nest. "It must have been all her fancy," hethought; "but it shows how her head runs on country things like that."
"She enjoyed the seaside, I think," his mother went on, "though not asmuch as the little ones did. She is too big for digging in the sand andpaddling, and so on. And the place we were at was bare anduninteresting--not a tree to be seen--what people call an excellentplace for children. Yes, perhaps poor Mary has not been quite in herelement lately." And Mary's aunt looked rather distressed. Suddenlyher face cleared.
"By the bye, Mike," she exclaimed, "how stupid of me to have forgotten.I had a letter lately from Mary's godmother--old Miss Verity; she livesat Levinside, near the forest, you know. She wrote to ask how Mary wasgetting on; and she said she would be delighted to have the child for avisit if ever we thought she would be the better for some country air.It is very charming there, even in late autumn or winter. If Mary seemsvery dull after you go, I think I will write to Miss Verity and proposea visit."
Michael gave a sort of grunt.
"I shouldn't think it would be very lively for her," he said, "going tostay with an old maid like that, all by herself. Better be here withyou, mother, and Fritz and Twitter."
"Ah, but you don't know Miss Verity," said his mother. "She's not likean old maid, or rather she is the very nicest old maid that ever lived.She is full of spirits and very clever and very kind, and I am sure shewould be just the person to understand a rather fanciful child likeMary. Mary has scarcely seen her, but I am sure they would get on, andshe knew Mary's own mother so well. And her house is so pretty and soprettily situated."
"It might be a good plan," said Mike, "but if I were you, mother, I'dsee what Mary herself thinks of it before you settle anything."
"Yes, I will," she replied. "It would certainly do Mary no good to gothere against her own wishes. For she has decided ideas of her own,though she is a gentle obedient child as a rule. But I think I hear hercoming, Mike, so take care. I don't want her to think we are talkingher over. Nurse is not always careful enough in that way; she forgetsthat Mary is growing older."
The door opened almost as she said the last word, and Michael could nothelp smiling to himself as he thought how very easily his little cousinmight have overheard her own name, though his mother meant to be sothoughtful. He looked up brightly, the smile still on his face, and hewas pleased to see an answering-back one on Mary's as she caught sightof him.
"Oh, dear Mike," she exclaimed, "it _is_ you! Oh, you don't know howglad I am you've come. I thought I heard you running upstairs, and Iwanted to come to see, but nurse said I must be dressed first Auntie, Iwish you'd tell nurse sometimes to let me run down to speak to youwithout such a fuss. I'm not as little as Twitter, you know."
Her aunt glanced at her and smiled, and Michael smiled too.
"Yes, mother," he said, "I think nurse does treat Molly rather toobabyishly now."
Mary glanced at him gratefully, and her face brightened still more.Michael seemed quite like himself to her again.
"I rather agree with you," said his mother. "I will give her a hint.Have you been wanting to see me for anything special to-day, Mary dear?"
"Oh no, it was only that I was so hoping Michael would come," shereplied; and a moment or two later, when her aunt happened to have goneto the other end of the room to write a letter, the little girl turnedto her cousin.
"Mike," she said, speaking almost in a whisper, "have you settled whatyou are going to do to-morrow, exactly?"
"Well, no, not quite. It depends on mother. I have not much to do,myself. I did all my shopping last week, you see. I thought it wouldbe nice to have the last two days pretty clear. Mother," he went on,raising his voice a little, "what would you like me to do to-morrow--Ihave kept it quite free for you--and Mary," he added quickly.
"Darling," said his mother. "Well, I was thinking we might go outtogether in the afternoon, you and I. I want you to say good-bye toyour godmother--and if you and Mary can think of anything you would liketo do in the morning, that would suit very well," and then she went onwriting.
"What would you like to do, then, Moll?" said Michael. "I'm sure you'vegot something in your head."
Mary clasped her hands in eagerness.
"_Anything_ you like, Mike," she said. "The only thing I want you topromise me is that you will come up to my room to-morrow morning attwelve o'clock to see something. I won't tell you what it is, but whenyou see, you will understand."
"At twelve o'clock," said Michael, "twelve exactly?"
"Yes," said Mary.
"All right," her cousin replied. "You're a queer child, Moll. Wellthen, I think the best thing we can do is to go shopping for an hour orso about half-past ten. You're to have a holiday, you know, and youlike shopping."
"_Dreadfully_," said Mary, "especially with you. What sort will it be?"
"It's some of my Christmas presents that are still on my mind," saidMichael. "Mother's, and Twit's--I never know about girls' things. I'mgoing to leave them with you to give for me. Father's and the littleboys' I've got all right."
Mary's face shone with pleasure.
"That will be lovely," she said. "I know several things that Twitterwould like, and I daresay nurse would help us to t
hink of something forauntie. Nurse is very good about that sort of thing."
"Isn't she good about everything?" asked Michael. Mary grew a littlered.
"She vexes me sometimes," she replied. "P'raps she doesn't understand.I'll explain to you better after to-morrow morning. Oh Mike dear,