“He certainly has,” replied Dick, promptly. “It happened yesterday. I showed Billy the very hole in the dividing fence through which we crawled on the Hallowe’en night, and, knowing Mr. Nocker was home at the time, I hid near so as to watch and see what happened.”
“Well, please go on, Dick; you’ve got me all worked up,” pleaded Leslie.
“Little Billy understood what he was to do, and wandered around the place, by degrees getting nearer and nearer the house. Then all at once I saw the old deacon hurrying out toward him. He looked cross, as if he meant to order the child off his grounds, and complain, in the bargain, to his parents if he ever trespassed again.”
“But he didn’t, Dick; I know you’re going to say he didn’t,” urged Leslie.
“Well, I could see him talking to little Billy for a while,” Dick went on. “Then he even bent down so as to get closer to him. Say, I warrant you there was something queer happening inside his frosty old heart just then. Perhaps he could see some familiar glimpse in little Billy’s blue eyes that made him think of the boy he once had.”
“What do you think he could have said to Billy?” asked Leslie.
“Oh! I saw him pointing toward the Brandon house through the trees, for with the leaves off he could get a glimpse of it from where he stood. So I knew he must be asking if the little curly-head lived there.”
“Yes, go on, Dick.”
“Finally, I saw Billy start to come back, and would you believe it Old Jed actually laid a hand on his mop of golden hair. Like as not that was the first time he’d ever willingly touched a child since his Amos was a kid.”
“Splendid, Dick! Things seem to be working along just as we planned them, don’t they?”