But his thought was interrupted, for Caruso, with a few bewitching quirks and trills, burst into one of his enchanting songs.
“Bravo!” cried the visitor, as the music ceased. The bird had stopped as suddenly as he had begun, and was now lunching on a bit of cracker. “He is a worthy namesake of the great tenor.”
Doodles, bending over the cage, whispered his thanks to the little singer, while the young man surveyed them with tender eyes.
“I am going to hear the other Caruso next Wednesday night,” he said presently. “And that makes me think—I ought to be picking out my seat; they went on sale this morning.”
The boy’s eyes shone. “To hear him sing! Won’t that be splendid! Dolly Rose wants to go awfully—oh! I wonder—” he broke off, gazing at the other in hesitation, yet with the brightness of the new thought in his face. “Have you plenty of money?” he ventured.
“It depends on how much you call plenty,” the young man smiled. “I sha’n’t be a millionaire this year. But what is it you wish? fruit? or candy? or some toy? Say on!—I’ll risk it!”
Doodles stared an instant. Then his delicate face lighted. “Oh, no, nothing for me! I’ve got all I want!”
The visitor looked at him, the hint of a smile on the boyish lips. “You are fortunate,” he said.
The child did not notice. “I was only thinking,” he went on, “how nice it would be, unless it cost too much, if you—she wants to hear him so bad—if you could take Dolly Rose to the concert with you!”
Mr. Gaylord laughed out, and Doodles chuckled in sympathy.