“Uncle John, if anybody thought something b-b—something about you, and it wasn’t so, what would you do?”
“I would,” answered Uncle John, slowly, “keep right on working, and leave that to God.”
Then he put his arm around Billy’s shoulders, drew him up close, and said again, slowly, “I would leave that to God.”
After they had sat a minute longer, they both went into the house.
Billy wished that night, even more than usual, that he and Uncle John might say their prayers together, the way he and his father used to do. But he did the best he could alone.
He said his prayers very slowly and very carefully. Then he said them all over again, and climbed into bed.
After the house was dark, Billy heard Uncle John come to his door. Billy didn’t speak, but he heard Uncle John say something. Perhaps, though he said it very softly, Uncle John hoped that he would hear him when he said softly:
“Eh, Billy, little lad!”
