"Supposing we call him Stranger," said Dick. "Don't you think that would do?"
"Yes! Yes!" his little sister and the twins agreed in a breath.
Within a week the dog learned to respond to his new name. Within a fortnight, he learned to take the children to school morning and afternoon, and fetch them when their lesson-hours were over. And though his injured paw caused him to limp a good deal at first, it soon got well. Then he was able to scamper and bound along as gracefully as if nothing had been amiss with it.
He was a sweet-tempered creature, and quickly made friends with the people in the village, who constantly gave him scraps to eat.
"Isn't his coat looking beautiful, mother?" Dick said one day to Mrs. Wilkins, as the much-dreaded winter drew near.
"Ah, it is, my dear!" was her reply. "It's because he's so well fed—that's the reason. Do you know, Dick, I almost envy that dog the bits folks throw to him, sometimes, when you children are on short rations. But there, I won't complain! P'raps I shall get some more washing or sewing work to do before long. I'm sure I don't mind how hard I slave, if only I can manage to get necessaries for you children."
"But, mother, you can't—you mustn't work harder than you do now!" cried the little boy, in tones strangely earnest for his years. "Cheer up, though! We won't go meeting trouble half-way," he went on, "'cos there'll be my shilling a week that I'm to get for cleaning boots at the rectory before long. I saw the rector's wife this morning, and promised to start work in a fortnight's time—that is, if you were willing."
"Willing! Why, yes, 'twill be a fine help to us, my dear," responded the widow more cheerfully. "You're right, Dick; we won't look upon the darkest side. We'll do our best, and face things as they come."
But although Dick and his hard-working mother tried their best to be brave during the weeks that followed, anxiety met them at every turn. The winter settled in, and work grew scarce. The children's appetites increased with the cold weather, and rent-days came round all too quickly.
"There's scarcely a handful of coal left in the out-house, Dick, and I can't spare money to buy more this week," said Mrs. Wilkins one cold morning to her little son, by now her right hand in almost every respect.