secret yearning?" She said You don't believe I've forgotten you, do you?

"No, Auntie" and I was quite sure of it wouldn't do that."

"you

She gazed at me earnestly. "No, I wouldn't do that. Thank you." She smiled suddenly. "Come.Come and see what I've brought for you." Taking both Pat and me by the hand, she led us to her room. When we were inside it she closed the door, turned to me, and stated quietly: "Robin, I've brought you Pat. Is that enough?"

I was bitterly disappointed. After all, I thought, Pat was for all of us to play with, and probably more for the others than for me, because when he found out what a sissy I was he wouldn't want to play with me at all. But even as this thought curdled my joy I realized that Pat was watching me sadly. I have always hated to hurt anyone's feelings, and I couldn't bear to let him think that I was less than delighted to have him for a playmate. So I cried: "Of course it's enough, Aunt Jemima: It'll be wonderful: And I forced myself to grin. I almost forced myself to believe what I was saying.

She smiled. Her calm eyes had missed nothing of the expressions which had swept over my small face. "It might be more wonderful than you think," she told me, adding: "But I brought you something else as well all the way from London, Paris and New York."

My heart leaped strangely. Aunt Jemima indicat- ed a large suitcase standing on the floor. That's all for you. Would you like to open it?"

Perhaps it was telepathy, but an incredulous hope, a magical premonition, was flooding over me. I found myself trembling as I pressed back the catches and lifted the lid. Nothing was visible except tissue paper. I lifted that. And then I knew.

I knew that I had found a precious friend and ally. I flung my arms about her and, to my own as-