“I’ll be only too glad to do that, my boy,” replied Uncle Henry, laying a hand affectionately on a shoulder of each of the chums, while he beamed down upon the flushed face of Dick through his glasses. “It would be well worth a month’s rent to me, or ten months for that matter, if I could have a hand in breaking up that iron will of Old Jed Nocker, and making him a little bit human.”
“How about your errand, Leslie, can it wait?” asked Dick.
“Shucks! It’ll have to,” laughed the other; “because you see I was only going to have a haircut, and what are a few stray locks between friends. Come on, let’s get a move on. I’m wild to see that little Billy and his mother.”
They were not long in reaching the white cottage near the bank of the murmuring river where Dick, his small sister Sue, his mother, and the old pensioner lived.
When Dick threw open the door and ushered his two companions into the room they stood there and stared. A handsome little curly-haired boy of about three was playing horse with a chair which he straddled like a trooper. Leslie thought he had never set eyes on a more winning little chap, and stock in Dick’s plan immediately sprang up far above par in his mind.
Tilly Nocker jumped to her feet as they entered. She was a pretty young woman, perhaps too sad for one of her tender years. Uncle Henry became interested in her immediately, for he saw that she had suffered.
Dick’s mother and grandfather were also present. The former was worthy of any boy’s love, for her whole disposition was that of a gentle, trusting woman. As for the veteran of the Civil War, with his shock of white hair coming down almost to his shoulders, and his clean-cut features, he made a striking picture.
“Mother, I’ve brought Leslie and Uncle Henry over to meet them!” burst out Dick. “They know what we plan to do, and Uncle Henry seems to be pretty much in favor of it already.”
“Without saying another word,” remarked the gentleman, quickly, “I want to tell you I think it well worth trying. If Mr. Nocker can resist that winsome little chap then he’s got a lump of ice in place of a heart. I’m glad to meet you, Mrs. Nocker, and let me tell you that in all Cliffwood you couldn’t have found a better haven of rest than right here in Mrs. Horner’s cottage.”
He shook hands with Tilly, and then hurried over to make the acquaintance of little Billy. While Uncle Henry had always been deeply interested in children, he could not remember the time he had ever been so drawn to a bright-faced little chap as he was now.