She said she hoped so.
The grocer drove off, and when we had all shaken hands with the lady and kissed her, according as we were boys or girls, or little boys, she touched up her horse and drove away.
She turned at the corner to wave to us, and just as we had done waving, and were turning into the house, Albert's uncle came into our midst like a whirling wind.

He was in flannels, and his shirt had no stud in at the neck, and his hair was all rumpled up and his hands were inky, and we knew he had left off in the middle of a chapter by the wildness of his eye.
'Who was that lady ?' he said.

'Where did you meet her ?' Mindful, as ever, of what he was told, Oswald began to tell the story from the beginning.
'The other day, protector of the poor,' he began; 'Dora and I were reading about the Canterbury pilgrims...' Oswald thought Albert's uncle would be pleased to find his instructions about beginning at the beginning had borne fruit, but instead he interrupted.
'Stow it, you young duffer! Where did you meet her ?' Oswald answered briefly, in wounded accents, 'Hazelbridge.' Then Albert's uncle rushed upstairs three at a time, and as he went he called out to Oswald-- 'Get out my bike, old man, and blow up the back tyre.' I am sure Oswald was as quick as anyone could have been, but long ere the tyre was thoroughly blowed Albert's uncle appeared, with a collar-stud and tie and blazer, and his hair tidy, and wrenching the unoffending machine from Oswald's surprised fingers.
Albert's uncle finished pumping up the tyre, and then flinging himself into the saddle he set off, scorching down the road at a pace not surpassed by any highwayman, however black and high-mettled his steed.
We were left looking at each other.

'He must have recognized her,' Dicky said.
'Perhaps,' Noel said, 'she is the old nurse who alone knows the dark secret of his highborn birth.' 'Not old enough, by chalks,' Oswald said.
'I shouldn't wonder,' said Alice, 'if she holds the secret of the will that will make him rolling in long-lost wealth.' 'I wonder if he'll catch her,' Noel said.

'I'm quite certain all his future depends on it.