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She can beat our Frank. He's the first stable lad, as I've told you, miss, an' he learned from Ben Sutter. You know, he was in the Army once an' he was taught by the devil himself, who was the Sergeant Major, he said, an' there's not a word he doesn't know that you could get locke for. "

Oh, she liked Barry McBride. He was anothe she would surely miss when she left the hou leave she must some day, and that some day be the day that woman stepped foot in it again

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, 1881, Timothy had three times brought the child to visit them: each time on a Sunday so the whole family would be present; and the boy had been enchanted with the long cosy room, but more so with its occupants and they with him. So it was proposed by Maria that Mr. Timothy and the child should be invited to their usual Boxing Day party.

Oswald, Olan, Jimmy and Cherry all worked till late Christmas Eve in order that they should have Christmas Day as a holiday; Oswald and Olan, who had now taken up their new positions in the pies and peas shop, worked up till one o'clock on Boxing Day, as also did Cherry and Jimmy. But by three o'clock they were all present, washed and changed and ready to meet their guests: besides Timothy and the child, Miss Netherton was coming and also Bobby Crane.

The lad had spent Christmas Day with them and surprised them with his ability to play the penny whistle almost as well as Oswald could play on the little flute that Nathaniel had bought him for his tenth birthday, after having heard him blowing through a reed. In consequence, the get-together around the fire after Christmas dinner had been a jolly affair.

Now it was Boxing Day and party day and the room was packed. The tea had been merry and noisy, the centre of attraction being Andrew.

Everybody seemed intent on making him happy and if his squeals of delight were anything to go by they had succeeded.

When at last the meal was over the family helped to clear the table, which was then pushed to the far end of the room in order to give space for some games, and the child became so excited that Miss Netherton said to Mr. Timothy, "What d'you bet me that nurse hasn't to get up in the middle of the night to somebody being violently sick?"

"No, no." Timothy shook his head.

"If he's going to be sick I'll see that it happens before he goes to bed. But what odds? Did you ever see anyone enjoy himself as that child has done?"

As Anna and Cherry moved the two lamps into a safe place, one on each end of the mantelpiece, and put the pair of two-branched brass candelabra, holding wax, not tallow, candles, on the window sill, the child, pausing in his jumping up and down, looked about him with open mouth, then turned to Anna and said, "It's like the story you tell me about Cinderella's palace."

This brought a great hooting laugh from Nathaniel and a chuckle and the flapping of the hands from Maria. But Timothy, standing near the boy, looked around him, as the child had done, and said, "Yes. Yes, you're right, Andrew. It is like Cinderella's palace. But there's more than one princess here;

there are two princesses and two fairy godmothers. And then there's the king of the castle--' He

extended his hand towards Nathaniel, and, turning to the laughing boys, he added, "His sons, the princes."

"Can we have a party tomorrow again, Uncle?"

"What!" This was a hoarse whisper from Timothy now.

"Do you want the king to throw us out? This is a special day; it only happens once a year."

Gauging the moment to be right to start, Nathaniel cried, "What game are we going to play first?

"Here we go round the mulberry bush" , eh?

What about it, you two musicians? " And nodding towards Oswald, he said, " You know the tune," then turning to Bobby, he added, " Do you?

It goes . "I know how it goes, Mr. Marten."

"Then let's join hands. Come on! Come on!" And so to the faint, sweet music of the two pipes they joined hands and danced and sang as they went:

"Here we go round the mulberry bush, the mulberry bush, the mulberry bush, Here we go round the mulberry bush . On a cold and frosty morning.

What do we find on a mulberry bush, a mulberry bush, a mulberry bush, What do we find on a mulberry bush On a cold and frosty morning?

Nothing at all on the mulberry bush nothing at all, nothing at all, Nothing at all on the mulberry bush On a cold and frosty morning.

The leaves have gone to feed the worms, to feed the worms, to feed the worms, The leaves have gone to feed the worms On a cold and frosty morning. "

After they had danced and repeated the rhyme three times. Miss Netherton stopped and, panting, sat down in a chair and cried to Nathaniel, "I've never heard that variation before."

"No, I don't suppose you have. I made it up years ago for a little class I had when I was dealing with the making and spinning of cloth, and so on. And I discovered that the silk worms were fed on the mulberry leaves."

"How interesting."

"Another game! Another game! Let us play another game, a dancing game, Missanna. Missanna, like the one in the book."

"Oh, that was a polka."

"Oh! a polka. Not for me. Not for me." And Timothy sat down now beside Miss Netherton, and Nathaniel, turning to Oswald, cried, "Play us a polka." And holding out his hand he said, "Come on, Maria.

Jimmy, you take Ben; Anna has already got her partner." He laughed to where the child was clinging to Anna's hands. And before he had time to appoint a partner for Bobby, he saw Cherry go over to him and hold out her hand, and he noticed that the boy hesitated a moment before getting to his feet, and they all laughed when he said, "I've got wooden legs."

And while Oswald played a brisk tune. Miss Netherton and Mr. Timothy clapped in time with the music.

After one and another had dropped out exhausted and laughing, Nathaniel said, "Well now, it's time for a little rest and some sweetmeats." So, going to a side-table, he picked up a large box, lifted the lid and, looking around them all, he said, "This is a gift from our dear friend. Miss Netherton." And after they had all helped themselves to a sweet and nodded towards Miss Netherton, saying, "Thank you, ma'am," she said, "Thank you all for a most happy day."

It was Jimmy now who put in, "Tell us a story, Dada. One of your ghosty ones."

"Blind Man's Buff!"

They were all looking at Andrew now and laughing and Nathaniel said,

"Well, I waive my right:

the guest of honour's wishes must come first. Blind Man's Buff, it is.

"

"Missanna. Missanna be blind man."

"No; you be blind man," said Anna, bending down to the child. And he, now gripping the skirt of her dress and attempting to shake her, said,

"No! you be blind man and catch me."

"All right. All right. Dada, let me have a bandage."

"Have my green muffler, my Christmas Box."

She looked at Jimmy and, laughing now, she said, "Oh, thanks. Jimmy.

That'll do fine. "

It was as the boy scurried from the room to fetch the muffler that the sound of a horse neighing turned the attention of the party towards the door, and Mr. Timothy exclaimed, "That'll be the carriage. I said six o'clock, but it's only half-past five."

"Oh, no, no, Uncle Timothy; we can't go home yet. Please, please."

"All right, all right."

It was as Nathaniel went to open the door that there came a rap on it, and when it was opened Timothy was the first to exclaim, "Oh! Simon.

What a nice surprise! Come in. Come in," only to turn swiftly to Nathaniel and say, " Dear me! Dear me! Here I am taking liberties.

I'm so sorry. "

Nathaniel was laughing now as he addressed the man at the door, saying,

"Come in by all means, sir! And you're welcome."

"Oh, Papa, Papa, we are having a lovely party. We have danced and sung and there are nice things to eat and ... " All right, all right, I'll hear all about it later. " He patted his son's head.

"But first let me say, how do you do? to Mr. and Mrs. Marten and thank them for entertaining you." At this he turned and, looking at Maria, he said, "It is very kind of you to put up with this rowdy boy and his equally rowdy uncle," which caused a little tentative laughter; and then he turned to Nathaniel, saying, "Thank you, sir, not only for today, but for the kindness you have shown in the past, and mostly for allowing your daughter to impart her knowledge to my son."

The words were very formal and for a moment they seemed to dampen the atmosphere, until Miss Netherton said in her usual imperious voice,

"Well! don't stand there, Simon; come and sit down for a moment. They are about to play Blind Man's Buff."

He did not however obey her but, looking from the child to Timothy, he said, "Don't you think you have both already outstayed your welcome?"

But before either of them had time to speak Nathaniel cried, "Not at all! Not at all! We could go on all night. Just let him have one more game. Please."

"As you wish. As you wish." Simon was smiling now, and he went and stood near Miss Netherton's chair while Oswald, taking the scarf from Jimmy, doubled its length in four; then going to his sister, he said,

"Turn round, and no peeping, mind," and after tying the scarf at the back he swung her about three times, crying, "Ready! Set! Go!"

With hands stretched out before her Anna groped towards the giggles and the whisperings and, taking up the pattern of her playing the game in the nursery with her pupil, she called, "Where is that big fellow who won't learn his lessons? Where is he? I'm sure he's over here."

Now she turned about and made her way towards the fire. She knew this because of the heat that was meeting her. And once her feet touched the mat she swung swiftly to her left and made a dive for the armchair, and from behind it there came giggling and scampering. And when Cherry took up the chant in which the boys joined,

"Name the one you want to catch;

name the one you want to hold, if you dare be so bold,"

she answered,

"I name the one I want to hold:

It's Master Andrew, I make so bold. "

When she heard the child's giggle she made a little run in his direction and knew that someone had suddenly lifted him up out of her reach. Then the chant changed:

"Move round, move round, The blind man can't see. Be quick! Be quick!

Or he'll catch thee. "

She could hear them all changing places, and again she was going down the room towards the fire, saying now, "You should give me a word."

And when she heard Oswald say, "Ma'ah! Ma'ah!" like the nanny goat, she knew he was standing near the kitchen door. She did not move in that direction but towards the big armchair again, and she knew the child was there by the suppressed little squeak he made, and she guessed he would be standing up pressed against the back of it. And so, thrusting her hands quickly out, she made a dive for him. But she had misjudged the distance, and she realised her hands were gripping the lapels of a coat. She felt them lifted from the coat she held and heard a child's voice shouting with glee: "You've caught Papa. You've caught Papa. You've caught Papa. Not me, you've caught Papa."

In the next second Anna had pulled off the scarf, and there she was looking into the unsmiling face of Simon. Withdrawing her other hand sharply from his and amidst the laughing and chatter, she picked up the boy from the chair and forced herself to say lightly, "Why didn't you give me a better signal?"

"I did! I did! Missanna."

"Well, you didn't squeak loud enough."

"Can we have another game? and then you can catch me and ... " No, no.

" It was his father speaking now.

"I think you've had enough for one day, and everyone has had enough of you, too. Moreover, the horses are outside and they are getting very cold, as is Grafton. And you know, when Grafton gets cold, what he does."

"He shouts."

"Yes, he shouts. Oh yes, he shouts." He was smiling now, and he looked towards Timothy who, smiling back at him, said, "And, more than shouts."

Miss Netherton, now moving across to Simon, said, "I've ordered my trap for half-past six, but I'd be more comfortable in your carriage if you would care to drop me."

"It would be a pleasure indeed."

"Well then, I'll get into my things."

There was bustle and chatting, and then they were all crowded round the door and Timothy was saying, "I cannot remember when I've enjoyed myself more, and I have no words with which to express my thanks. I can simply treat your kindness with impertinence by saying, may I come again soon?"

Nathaniel's and Maria's assurance that he knew he would be welcome at any time was drowned by the laughter brought about by Miss Netherton saying, "Take my arm, you philanderer; you would make a wonderful professional beggar." Then, turning to the family, she spoke to them as a whole, saying, "You know what I think. I haven't this fellow's tongue, so I can simply say, thank you for a most happy time."

Robert Grafton had now come forward and was swinging the lantern to show Timothy and Miss Netherton to the carriage and the child was saying his goodbyes to all in turn, shaking each hand and saying,

"Thank you. Thank you." Then as his father lifted him the child put one hand round his neck and of a sudden, reached forward and tugged Anna towards him by gripping the front of her dress and with his lips pouted out he kissed her, an audible kiss on the mouth. For a second her eyes were again looking into Simon's, and she gave a slight gasp and tried to loosen the child's hand from her collar.

But he held on to it and said, "I will see you in the morning, Missanna?" and she stammered, "Y ... yes, in the morning."

"I love you, Missanna."

She was feeling that even her hair was on fire. There were laughing murmurs all around her; and Simon was saying, "You must forgive my son for expressing his feelings so publicly," and to Nathaniel and Maria he said, "You'll be glad when this invasion is over."

Amid loud protestations he nodded from one to the other, then said,