“But, Teddy, you’ve a right to be proud of yourself,” was Harry’s hearty praise. “Everybody’s talking about you. I’m crazy to see the show. Two more days and the rush will be over. Then the boys will all have a chance to hear you sing and see you act.”
Mr. Keene had arranged for a special performance to be given for the benefit of the employees after the store closed on Christmas eve, and Harry was eagerly looking forward to seeing Teddy in his wonderful part. Harry had a delightful secret he was hugging to his breast, and he could hardly wait for the time to come to carry it out.
“I’m glad that’ll be the last of it,” returned Teddy. “I came to this store to be a business man, like Mr. Everett, not to sing for a lot of folks who think they’re goin’ to hear something wonderful. Just you remember, Harry Harding, not to dare look at me when I’m singing, or I’ll laugh; see if I don’t.”
“I’ll turn my back to the stage,” promised Harry, with twinkling eyes.
“Now you’re making fun of me,” declared Teddy, with a snicker. “If I should happen to look out at the audience and see nothin’ but your back, I’d laugh all right. I guess you’d better look at the stage, if you don’t look too hard. My mother’s been to hear me sing three times. She thinks I’m some son.”
“My mother was here yesterday. She thinks so, too. You are kind of an adopted son of hers, you know.”
“I guess I’m lucky to have two mothers,” nodded Teddy, his small face glowing.
Teddy had become a frequent visitor at the Harding’s humble home, while Harry had paid several visits to the Burkes. Mrs. Harding and Mrs. Burke had also met, liked each other on sight and a vigorous friendship had sprung up between the two little families. In fact, Harry and his mother were to spend Christmas Day with the Burkes and the boys were looking eagerly forward to the occasion.
On the day before Christmas, trade slackened in the store. Here and there, through the rapidly thinning aisles, dilatory customers wandered who had refused to obey the mandate to do their Christmas shopping early, while shrewd bargain hunters darted about, ready to pounce upon any article that had been “marked down” at the last moment.
But even these indefatigable shoppers drifted out of the store, one by one, and at the last the welcome ringing of “closing” gongs in all parts of the store proclaimed that another holiday rush had passed out to keep company with the shades of past busy seasons.