lots of other things. And after that we came back to the easy-chair, and
he sang me sailors' songs, and told me all about "The House that Jack
built!"

[Illustration: THE CAT THAT WANTED THE GOOSE.]

"Little woman," he said at last, "did you ever hear of 'The Goose that
Jack killed?'" and then he sang in his funny way, "This is the goose
that Jack killed; and this is the cat that wanted the goose that Jack
killed; and this is the dog that chased the cat that wanted the goose
that Jack killed; and this is the thief that cheated the dog that chased
the cat that wanted the goose that Jack killed; and this is the dream
that haunted the thief that cheated the dog that chased the cat that
wanted the goose that Jack killed; and this"--

But "Good night, Uncle Hugh, there's Jane come to fetch Miss Sissy to
her tea, upstairs in the nursery."




II.

_UNCLE HUGH'S STORY._


Yes, tea alone in the nursery, that strange room that looked as if it
hadn't been a nursery for a great many years, and was as queer and
awkward as an old woman trying to look young again. No clatter of spoons
to make baby laugh, no chatter of childish voices, only little me, all