glided back again frightened and ashamed at her own act.

Now he woke up; she felt his dark eyes looking at her. Then he spoke
in a slow, puzzled voice, saying:

"I have had such a funny dream. I dreamed that a spirit came and
kissed me. I did not see it, but I think it must have been my
mother's."

"Why?" asked Isobel.

"Because no one else ever cared enough for me to kiss me, except Mrs.
Parsons, and she has given it up now that the other boys are here."

"Does not your father kiss you?" she asked.

"Yes, once a week, on Sunday evening when I go to bed. Because I don't
count that."

"No, I understand," said Isobel, thinking of her own father, then
added hastily, "it must be sad not to have a mother."

"It is," he answered, "especially when one is ill as I have been, and
must lie so long in bed with pains in the head. You know I had an
abscess in the ear and it hurt very much."

"I didn't know. We heard you were ill and mother wanted to come to see
you. Father wouldn't let her. He thought it might be measles and he is
afraid of catching things."