So he went very softly to the captain’s door and tapped with his little fingers. “Who’s there?” asked the captain in a very gruff voice. “It’s little Bob, sir. Can I do anything for you?”
“Go to your work you little rascal,” was the angry reply, “and don’t come here to plague me.”
Little Bob stole away more softly than he came, but there was no anger in his heart toward the bad man. There was pity there, and he made up his mind that he would go again the next day. So the brave little fellow went and tapped again at the door. “Who’s there?” was the reply. “Can’t I do something for you to-day, sir?” asked the little boy.
“No, no; go away,” said the hard-hearted man. But Bob took notice that his voice was not so harsh as it was the day before, and he called him no harsh names, and he said to himself, “He will let me in by and by if I keep on.”
He was so sure of this that he could not wait till the next day, but he went again toward night. All the day the captain had thought over the kind act of little Bob, the only one of them all that had come near him; and his hard heart had begun to melt, and he made up his mind that if he came again he would let him come in.
So he was glad to hear that little tap at his door. “Come in,” said he, and Bob came in softly on tiptoe, and said very gently, “Please, sir, can I make your bed for you, and get you a cup of tea? I’ll do it very nicely and very quickly, sir.”
“Well, Bob, you may do it if you like.” His little heart beat almost wild with joy. The bed was soon made, and away he ran and soon came back with a little tray on which was a plate of toast, and a cup of tea, and some crackers, and it was so nice that the captain seemed to like it very much.