It was dark long before Billy and his grandfather started for home. A walk in complete darkness was a novel experience for the little boy, but he was not timid, because his grandfather was with him. He said so, adding, as the hand which held his tightened its clasp—
"I know you'll look after me, Grandfather!"
"Aye," William Brown assented, "to the best of my power. And there's One above, Billy, Who'll look after us both. You'll soon learn to find your way about in the darkness, and won't mind it—why, even little May doesn't."
"Doesn't she?" cried Billy in surprise. "How brave of her!"
"You know it says in one of the psalms, 'The Lord my God shall make my darkness to be light,'" his grandfather said thoughtfully; "and I think that, though there's a sort of cloud over May's mind, behind the cloud there's God's own light. The soul that has that light knows no fear."
[CHAPTER IV.]
SUNDAY.
BILLY'S first Sunday in Devonshire was a beautiful day, with sunshine and a soft westerly breeze. The little boy accompanied "Grandfer," as he had decided to call his grandfather in imitation of the Dingle children, to church in the morning, and, after the service, lingered with him in the churchyard to speak to the Dingles, all of whom had been to church, too. Then Tom Turpin, his mother on one side of him, his father on the other, came out of church, and stopped and spoke, afterwards introducing Billy to his parents.
"I hope to call at Rowley Cottage to-morrow," the young soldier told William Brown; "I want to go around your garden and see everything. Father tells me you're doing your 'bit' to help win the war."
On their way home Billy asked his grandfather what Tom Turpin had meant by this remark. William Brown explained that food was likely to be very short on account of the German submarines, which were torpedoing so many food ships, and that he was doing his "bit" to help win the war by cultivating every inch of his garden, and growing as many vegetables as he could.