He walked toward the door; then turned, hesitated, and flung himself upon Barbara.
“I guess I’d better kiss you good-night, Barb’ra,” he cried. “Just think, I pretty near forgot!”
He beamed shyly upon Jarvis.
“Shall I shake hands with you?” he inquired, with a friendly little smile. “I b’lieve I’d like to.”
Jarvis held out his hand and Jimmy laid his own in it gravely. Barbara stirred uneasily in her chair.
“Jimmy, dear!” she murmured softly, deprecatingly.
“I never s’posed I’d be shakin’ hands wiv you,” the child went on calmly. “Did you drive that short-tailed horse?”
“Yes,” said Jarvis, something swelling strangely within him as he looked down into the upturned face of the child, with its candid brown eyes.
“What made you cut his tail off?” demanded Jimmy. “Peg says it’s a mean trick to cut off horses’ tails, ’cause they need their tails to brush off the flies.”