Tears swelled into Julia's eyes as she bent them upon the child.
"What shall I do? He seems to know that we are about to leave him," she murmured.
"Come with me, I will take you to mamma," said the matron, laying her hand on his head. "There, Georgie, be a little gentleman, dear!"
The tears that had been swelling in the little fellow's bosom broke forth now. He began to sob violently, and shaking off the matron's hand, clung to his new friend.
"Take me up, take me up—I will go too," he sobbed, lifting his little hands and his tearful face to the young girl.
Julia took him in her arms, and putting the curls back from his forehead, pressed a kiss upon it.
"What can I do?" she said, turning her eyes unconsciously upon Robert Otis.
Robert smiled and shook his head; but old Mrs. Gray, whose heart was forever creaming over with the milk of human kindness, came forward at once.
"What can you do? Why, take him along; the homestead is large enough for us all. It will seem like old times to have a little shaver like that running around, now that Robert is away."