Ten minutes afterward this kitchen was full of noise, life, and confusion. The four younger children had come back from Board school. Harry, the eldest boy, had rushed in from a bookseller's near by, and Alison, who served behind a counter in one of the shops in Shoreditch, had unexpectedly returned. Alison was a very tall and pretty girl. She had dark blue eyes and an upright carriage; her hair was golden with some chestnut shades in it. She had a clear complexion like her grandmother's, and firm lips, with a sweet expression. As a rule she had a cheerful face, but to-day she looked anxious. Grannie gave her one quick glance, and guessed at once that something was troubling her. "Now, I wonder what's up?" she thought. "Well, I shan't burden the child with my troubles to-day." "Come," she said in a hearty voice, "sit you all down in your places. Kitty, my girl, say your grace. That's right," as the child folded her hands, closed her eyes, raised her piping voice, and pronounced a grace in rhyme in a sing-song tone. The moment the grace was finished a huge potato pie made its appearance out of the oven, and the meal--good, hearty, and nourishing--began. Grannie helped all the children. She piled the daintiest bits on Alison's plate, watching the girl without appearing to do so as she played with her dinner. "Come, Ally, you are not eating," said Grannie. "This will never do. It's a real pleasure to have you back in the middle of the day, and you must show it by making a good meal. Ah, that's better. Help your sister to some bread, David." David was between fifteen and sixteen years of age, a fine well-grown lad. He looked attentively at Alison, opened his lips as if to say something, caught a warning glance from her eyes, and was instantly silent. Alison forced herself to eat some of the nourishing pie, then she looked full at Grannie. "By the way, Grannie," she said, "you were to see the doctor at the London Hospital this morning, were you not?" "Yes, child; what about it? I'll have a piece of bread, David, if you will cut it for me." David did so. Alison detected some concealment in Grannie's voice, and pursued her inquiries. "What did he say?" she asked. "Oh, what didn't he say. Nothing special--the old kind of story. I never thought much of plaguing a doctor for a common sort of thing like this. I'm to rub the hand with liniment three times a day. There's the bottle on that shelf. I 'spect I'll be all right in a week or a fortnight. Now, children, hurry up with your dinner; you'll have to be off to school in less than ten minutes, so there's no time to lose." The children began to eat quickly. Alison and David again exchanged glances. Harry suddenly pushed back his chair. "You say your grace before you go," said Grannie, fixing him with her bright blue eyes. He blushed a little, muttered a word or two, and then left the room.