ThroughouttheeveningJeremywasmoreandmorelonely。Hehadneverbeforefeltsodeepanaffectionforthefamilyandneverbeensoutterlyunabletoexpressit。Itwasasthough，duringthewholeyearhehad，byhisownwill，beenslippingawayfromthem，andnowtheyhadgonetoofarforhimtocallthemback。
Hesatonthefloorathismother’sfeetwhilstsheread“MidshipmanEasy。“Itwasallsocosy，theroomwassocomfortablewithallthefamiliarpicturesandphotographsandbooks，andHelenandMarydiligentlysewing，andHamletstretchedoutinfrontofthefire，hisnoseonhispaws——sixmonthsagoJeremywouldhavefeltutterlyandabsolutelypartofit。Nowhewasoutsideitand，atthesametime，wasinsidenothingelse。Itmightbethatinaweek’stimehewouldbesofamiliarwithhisnewworldthathewouldbeashappyasacricket——hedidnotknow。Heonlyknewthatatthismomenthewouldhavegivenallthathehadtoflinghisarmsroundhismother’sneck，tobehuggedandkissedandnursedbyher，andthat，atthesametime，hewouldhavediedratherthandosuchathing。
Theeveningcametoanend。Thegirlsgotupandsaidgood-night。
Hismotherkissedhim，holdinghimperhapsforamomentlongerthanusual，butatthatsameinstantshesaid：
“Oh，ImustremindEllaaboutthehalf-pastsevenbreakfastagain，shealwayshastobetoldeverythingtwice。“
Thegirlswentonahead，JeremyandHamletfollowingclosebehind。
Jeremyfoundhimselfaloneintheschoolroom，wherethefirewasverylow，givingonlylittlespurtsandflashesthatranlikegoldensnakessuddenlythroughthedarkness。
Movedbyanimpulse，hewenttothetoy-cupboardand，openingit，puthishandquitebychanceonthetoyvillage。Thetoyvillage！Helaiditoutandspreaditonthefloor。Hecouldnotsee，buthekneweverypiecebyheart，andhelaiditallout，thechurchandtheflowergarden，andtheNoah’shouseandthevillagestreet，theanimalsandtheNoahs。Whatcenturiesagothatbirthdaywas，whatworldsaway！Howexcitedhehadbeen，andnow——！
Withasuddenimpatientgesturehetumbledthepiecesoverontotheirsides，thenquickly，asthoughhewereafraidofthedark，wentintohisbedroomandbegantoundress。
IV
Inthemorningeventsmovedtooquicklyforthought。Hehadstillthesamelonelypainathisheart，butnowhesimplywasnotgiventimetoconsiderit。
Hisfathercalledhimintothestudy。Hegavehimtenshillingsandanewprayer-book。Jeremyknewthathewastryingtocomeclosetohimandbeafriendofanewkindtohim。
Heheardinadistancesuchwordsas：“……anewworld，fulloftrialandtemptation。Godseesus……WorkatyourLatin……
cricketandfootball……prayerseverynight……“Buthecouldfeelnoemotionnothingbutterrorlestsomesuddenstupidemotionalsceneshouldoccur。Nothingoccurred。Hekissedhisfatherandwent。
Then，quitesuddenly，justashecamedowninhishatandcoatandheardthatthecabwasthere，hisrestraintmelted；hewasfreeandimpulsiveandnatural。HekissedMary，tellingher：
“Youmayhavemytoyvillage。I’dlikeyouto——Yes，rather。Imeanit。“
HekissedHelenandBarbara，andthenheldtohismother，notcaringwhetheralltheworldwastheretosee。Theoldlifewasgoingwithhim！Hewasnotleavingitafterall。Thetownandthehouse，andallthethingstowhichhehadthoughtthathehadsaidgood-bye，weregoingwithhim。
Hamlet！Hefoundthedogstrugglingtogetintothecab。Thatwasmorethanhecouldstand。Hewasnotgoingtomakeafoolofhimself，buttheonlywaytobesecurewastogetintothecabandhidethere。HecaughtHamlet’shead，gaveitakiss，thenjumpedin，catchingalastglimpseofthefamilygroupedatthedoor，theservantsatthewindow，theoldgardenwiththedeadleavesgathereduponit，Hamletheld，struggling，inMary’sarms。
Hechokeddownhissobs，feltthetenshillingsinhispocket，thenwithamightyresolve，towhichitseemedthatthelaboursofHerculeswereasnothing，leanedoutandwavedhishand。
Thecabrolledoff。
Hamletlaydownuponthematjustinsidethehall-door。Someonetriedtopullhimaway。Hegrowled，showinghisteeth。Hismasterhadgoneout。Hewouldwaitforhisreturn——andnooneshouldmovehim。
End