“Yes, sir.”
“And that your father always planned to have a little place of his own, and that the doctor says your little sister needs country air.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Well, my lad, we’re not very rich, my neighbor Bentley and myself, but we’re well enough off to pay our debts, and we owe you a big one. I’ve a little place, not much of an affair, a four or five room house, with an acre of ground. It’s about half way between here and my store. And I offer it to you rent free. Mr. Bentley says he’ll stock it up for you with chickens and such things, and that you shall never want for fruit, and vegetables, and feed, while he has any. My wife says she has a fine little pig for you, and Molly has a young heifer that she insists upon calling yours. So if you want to come down here and live among people that will always look out for you, you’ve but to say the word.”
Benny looked from one to the other, only saying, “Oh! oh, sir! Oh, Mr. Welch!”
“Yes,” put in Mr. Bentley, “we’ll look out for you, my boy. It was a lucky day for us when you got left on that steamboat. And now, Ben, I’ll take you up to town to-morrow, if you want to go, and talk it over with your mother. I’ve got to go hunt up help for my wife. So you can go along if you like.”
And then Benny went into the house to see Mrs. Bentley standing with shining eyes, she having heard all the talk.
As she took a candle from the table to give into Benny’s hands, she stooped and kissed him, saying, “God bless you, my dear little boy!”
Two such laden-down little figures as made their way up the narrow street the next day; and not less laden down was their companion, Mr. Bentley. Kitty would not be left behind, and helped to convey peas and strawberries, a big bottle of rich cream, a fine roll of butter, eggs, and home-made cake, and best of all, a huge bunch of roses, over which Benny’s blue eyes peeped as bright as two stars.
What a glad mother it was who welcomed home her darlings with sweet surprise! And how Kitty laughed as one after another of the country gifts were shown! And what a thankful little family it was that Mr. Bentley left that evening when it was all settled that they should go to live in Mr. Welch’s house!