"No."
"Then I'm sure he won't be much longer, and I can go in and wait till he comes."
Forbes laid his hand on Rob's head. "You'll have to wait a long, long time, Rob; for he'll never come back any more. The Lord Jesus has sent for him to-night, and he has left the old shed and gone right away up to heaven."
For a moment the child stared, as if hardly comprehending the policeman's words, and then all of a sudden he seemed to take in the meaning. "Is my Mr. Jasper dead? Do you mean that?"
"Yes, my boy; he's with Jesus now."
In an instant Rob crouched down against the door, and bursting into a passionate flood of tears, sobbed as though his heart would break; and indeed, if such a thing were possible to a child, Rob was very near it then. In vain Forbes tried to coax him away, and finding all effort useless, he took him up in his strong arms and carried him, still sobbing and shivering, home to his wife.
"Let him stay here a bit until I can send Phil round to him," he said, telling her what had happened. "Poor little chap, it's a sad blow for him!"
So for some time he lay in Mrs. Forbes' kind, motherly arms, asking between his sobs, in piteous voice, if it was really true that his Mr. Jasper was gone! But as she talked to him about heaven, and its glories and joys, and told him that his old friend was so happy there, and would be looking out for him to come too, the child was calmed, and by-and-by, worn out with weeping, fell into a sweet sleep, and ere he woke Phil had come to fetch him.
After all, he was the best comforter; and so, sadly and wearily the brothers made their way back to Preece's Place, their hearts full of sorrow at the unexpected loss of their old friend. And when, on the way home, they passed the shed, all closed and silent, Rob shuddered afresh, and creeping closer to Phil, burst again into tears.
"Shan't we ever go in there any more, Phil?"