The girl caught him in her arms with a sob.
“Oh, dear boy!” she cried, “I wish you could!”
CHAPTER XXIV
DOODLES KEEPS ON
The first days of Doodles’s home-coming were full of a mild excitement. Besides there being so much to talk about when the little family was alone, almost everybody in The Flatiron was eager to give a personal welcome to the small traveler, as well as to hear about his visit to the great city. But after all the tenants had come and gone, and the boy was left to himself for the most of the long day, his disappointment returned to haunt and torture him. There were times when even his violin had no power to drive away the bitter thoughts.
Blue perceived that something was wrong. His brother’s merry laugh had dropped to a wan smile, and occasionally there was the sound of a wee sigh. The matter came to a climax, one day, when school was closed at an unexpected hour, and Doodles was caught crying.
At first the little lad refused to give any reason for his tears; but Blue would not let him off, and the direct cause of his sorrow was finally disclosed.
“I don’t know—what to do!” he sobbed. A gush of tears halted his speech, but he went on quickly. “It doesn’t do any good! I thought ’twas going to—in New York—and now it hasn’t! But it seems so mean not to keep on!”
“Keep on what?” Blue burst out.
“Why, asking God to let me walk!” Doodles answered. “You know I’ve been asking and asking for so long.”