The boys trudged home through the bleak November night, talking of the wonderful honor that had come to Teddy. When Harry reached home he could not eat his supper until he had related the day’s happenings to his mother.
“Teddy seems to be a very lucky boy,” commented Mrs. Harding.
“Yes, he is.” There was no trace of envy in Harry’s sensitive face.
“I wish something just as nice would happen to my boy,” said his mother fondly. “You never say much of yourself, dear child.”
“Oh, there isn’t anything to tell, Mothery. I just work and that’s all. Wait until something big happens to me. You’ll be the first one to hear it. Isn’t it fine that we are going out together on Thanksgiving Day?” He changed the subject abruptly. They were on dangerous ground. His mother must never know how little possibility there was of anything “big” happening to him.
“I’m very proud to think my son is going to take me out.” His mother came over to Harry and kissed him.
“You’re the best mother a fellow ever had,” murmured Harry. What were a few hardships to him, compared to the satisfaction of being able to give his mother pleasure with the money he had earned by his own labor. “I hope Ted’ll have a nice time with his mother, Thanksgiving. I must ask him what he’s going to do.”
Harry did not see his chum the next morning. For once, Teddy failed to be at their usual meeting place. The two boys did not meet until they happened to come together in the lunch-room at noon. For once, Mr. Barton had allowed Harry to go to lunch on time. Usually, he kept the boy at the exchange desk until long after the time he had first assigned to him to go to lunch.