The boy looked at his brother with pleading eyes. “You!” he whispered.
Blue smilingly shook his head.
“I am so surprised and happy,” Doodles began, “I don’t know what to say! But I thank you ever and ever so much, and I know Caruso will. It is just like you to do it! You have always done such nice things for us. You can’t imagine what a comfort you have been to me! I guess there are lots of people that need comforting, or God wouldn’t have told us to do it. I’ve never done much. Blue and Caruso have had to do mine for me. But now I can walk, and Caruso has got such a beautiful home he’ll sing more than ever, and we shall comfort all the folks we can just as long as we live.”
This was followed by such applause that Doodles wanted to hide his head; but he only blushed and smiled to everybody.
“Darlin’!” whispered Mrs. Homan, wiping her eyes.—“He’s a blissid little angil!” breathed Granny O’Donnell.
Mr. Gillespie brought the bird, and deftly put him into his new cage.
With a quick, comprehensive glance, Caruso flirted his wings in joy, and let go a little carol.
At its close, softly, very softly, the old Scotchman began to whistle “Auld Lang Syne.”
The bird stood motionless, with cocked head, and then joined in the air, which almost at once he was carrying on by himself.
The room was breathless to its close, when such a storm of praise broke forth as would have frightened a shy singer. But not Caruso! He calmly descended to his new food cup and pounced upon the tidbit which was always his reward after a successful performance.