By this time Corney had been to see Mark often. He always spoke kindly to him now, but always as a little goose. And Mark, the least assuming of mortals, always being in earnest, did not want his dream made light of. Hence he was not often ready to speak freely to Corney.

“But I’ll tell you what, majie,” he went on “—I’ll tell you the dream, and then, if I should go away without having told him, you must tell it to Corney. He won’t laugh then—at least I don’t think he will. Do you promise to tell him, majie?”

“I will,” answered the major, drawing himself up with a mental military salute, ready to obey to the letter whatever Mark would require of him.

Without another word the child began.

“I was somewhere,” he said. “—I don’t know where. Jesus was there too. ‘Ah, little one,’ he said when he saw me, ‘I have been getting your eyes open as fast as I could all the time! We’re in our father’s house together now! But, Markie, where’s your brother Corney?’ And I answered and said, ‘Jesus, I’m very sorry, but I don’t know. I know very well that I’m my brother’s keeper, but I can’t tell where he is.’ Then Jesus smiled again and said, ‘Never mind, then. I didn’t ask you because I didn’t know myself. But we must have Corney here—only we can’t get him until he sets himself to be good! You must tell Corney, only not just yet, that I want him. Tell him that he and I have got one father, and I couldn’t bear to have him out in the cold, with all the horrid creatures that won’t be good! Tell him I love him so that I will be very sharp with him if he doesn’t hurry and come home. Our father is so good, and it is dreadful to me that Corney won’t mind him! He is so patient with him, Markie!’ ‘I know that, Jesus,’ I said. And I don’t know what came next.—Now, what am I to do, majie? You see why I couldn’t bear to have that dream laughed at. Yet I must tell it to Corney because there is a message in it for him!”

The major did not speak, but looked at the child with his soul in his eyes.

“I do not think,” Mark went on, “that he wanted me to tell Corney the minute I woke. I think when the time comes he will let me know it is come. But if I found I was dying, you know, I would try and tell him, whether he laughed or not, rather than go without having done it. But if Corney knew I was going, I don’t think he would laugh.”