"This is Scout," he said; "I leave him in charge here on market days when I go to Exeter. Don't be afraid of him—he won't hurt you."
Scout was sniffing Billy's legs. The little boy spoke to him, calling him by name, then extended his hand to him fearlessly. The dog sniffed the hand and licked it. At that moment a woman appeared in the doorway.
"You're later than I expected you'd be, William!" she exclaimed.
"Very sorry, my dear," William Brown answered; "I thought we were in good time—the train wasn't late."
"Your grandson's there? Yes? Then why doesn't he come in?"
"He's coming, Maria. Go in, please, Billy!"
Billy obeyed, and found himself in a large, comfortable kitchen, facing his grandfather's wife. She was a tall, handsome woman who did not look more than fifty, though she was actually much older. She smiled as she shook hands with Billy, and kissed him, but the smile was only on her lips, whilst her eyes did not soften. Somehow she gave him the impression that he was not altogether welcome.
"You can call me 'Granny' as my daughter's children do," she told him. "I've two grandchildren—that's May, the younger of them."
Billy's eyes followed the direction of her pointing finger, and saw a little girl seated on a wooden stool near the fire, into which she was gazing.
"Come here, May!" said Mrs. Brown, in a peremptory tone.