And all she could reply to this was, 'O, George, George! O, my dear, dear boy!' with a world of love and pity in her voice.
And so the sad evening passed away, until George said, Hadn't father and mother better go home? He would soon be with them. They knew that he wanted to say good-bye to Bessie, who sat pale and tearful, with her hand in his; and they rose to go, saying he would find them up when he came home.
'I know that, dear mother and father,' he said, and went with them to the door, and kissed them, and came back with the tears running down his face.
'I'll tell you what, George,' whispered old Ben Sparrow in George's ear. 'You shall say good-bye to Tottie and me, and we'll go to bed; and then you'll have Bessie all to yourself. But don't keep too long, my dear boy, don't keep too long.'
Tottie had been fast asleep for more than an hour, and George took her in his arms without waking her.
'Good-bye, Tottie,' he said; 'good-bye, little one!' He kissed her many times, and the child, stirred by his caresses, raised her pretty little hand to his face. He kissed her fingers, and then resigned her to old Ben, who, with his burden in his arms, grasped George's hand tight, and bade him good-bye and God speed.
'And don't forget, George,' he said, with a secret look towards Bessie.
'No, Mr. Sparrow,' George replied, 'I'll bear in mind what you told me.'
'God bless you, then, and speed you back!'
With this the old man ascended the stairs, with Tottie in his arms, turning over his shoulder to give George a parting look, and humming 'Cheer, boys, cheer!' softly, to keep up the spirit of the lovers.