“To Cherton—to uncle—to Mr. Jonathan Willett’s.”
“Cherton! why, that’s not far from my happy destination. I get out only one station before you.”
“Little friend” smiled her demure little smile again, as if she was glad to hear it.
[p11]
“So you’re going to Mr. Willett’s—Dr. Willett he’s generally called, being a physician,” continued the boy, after glancing from the window a second or two, as if to note how fast the landscape was rushing past the train, or the train past the landscape.
“Yes; do you know him?” inquired the silvery tongue of the other.
“Oh yes; I know him!”—a short assent, comically spoken.
“I don’t,” sighed the little girl, as if the thought oppressed her.
“Then you’d like to know what he’s like,” spoke the boy, using the word like twice for want of another.
“Yes—only—only would it be nice to talk about a person—one’s uncle, one doesn’t know, be——” she did not like to say behind his back, but the faltering little tongue stuck fast, and the small sensitive face of the child looked a little confused.
“Ah! behind his back,” spoke the boy readily. “Well, perhaps not; but you’ll know him soon enough, I’m quite sure, and all about Peggy, too. Peggy is the best of the couple,” he added.