She closed the front door behind them and stood with her back to it as the stranger was led by Jacob to an easy chair. Dickie thought he could hear men's voices near, but as he now had a most unusual pain in his stomach, which was accompanied by enormous rumblings, his mind turned to other matters.

"We're very hungry," he said slowly and distinctly.

Mrs. Thurston blew a stream of smoke up to the ceiling and looked down at the bedraggled little boy and girl standing side by side. Her eyes were hard, and Mary shivered as she looked up at her through the smoke.

"We want to go home," she said. "Please take us home or tell Mummy we're here. I don't want anything to eat. I just want to go home..." and on the last words her voice broke a little.

"Oh, no!" Mrs. Thurston shook her head. "Oh, no! I can't take you home. You've come back here and now you must stay. Come along," she went on. "Never mind about going home. Dickie's hungry. I know he is, and so is Mary really. I'll get you some supper and we'll make plans presently." And she led them down the hall to the little room from which they had escaped earlier in the day.

Reluctantly the twins followed her.

Mrs. Thurston switched on the light and closed the door.

Dickie moved to the table when he saw that the tea had not yet been cleared away.

"You are both a great worry to me," Mrs. Thurston began, "but you had better stay here now and have some-thing to eat while I go and look after the poor wounded officer. Jacob shall bring you a hot drink, and I will come back and see you later."

Almost before she was out of the room Dickie had started on the bread and butter.

"Come on, Mary. We'll feel better when we've had something to eat. Gosh! I just can't wait."

"I want to go to sleep, Dickie," she heard herself answering. "Leave me alone. I'm cold, too."

So she sat down on the rug in front of the dying fire, rested her head against a chair and was asleep in three seconds. Dimly she remembered being lifted into the chair by Jacob, who made up the fire, and it seemed hours later when Dickie shook her awake.

"You've just got to have this, Mary," he was saying. "You're being silly. Wake up and have this while it's hot. Please eat some bread and butter or else there'll be nothing left for you. Old wizard Jacob brought it, and jus' now he came and put you in the chair. Gosh! I feel better."

She yawned and stretched and suddenly felt hungry, too. The hot milk was just what she needed, and now with the fire blazing merrily they both forgot for a little where they were and what had happened. Mary was the first to remember.