"Yes, sir. You won't say anything to Mrs. Anderson, will you, sir? It might cost me my place."
"No, no!" returned Al, so impatient to see the mayor's wife that he scarcely heard what the man said.
"Thank you, sir."
At this moment the sound of approaching footsteps was heard, and the servant hastily bowed himself out.
Scarcely had he gone when Mrs. Anderson entered the room, followed by her husband. She was a tall, slender, rather good-looking woman of about thirty; he a short, pompous man, at least ten years his wife's senior.
The lady approached Al with outstretched hands.
"My brave, noble boy," she cried, "how delighted I am to see you! And I did not even know your name until I received your card just now. I am so glad you did not allow yourself to be sent away. But why have you not called before?"
"Yes, why have you not called before?" echoed the mayor, seizing the boy's hands, which his wife had just relinquished.
Al, considerably embarrassed, murmured something about not wanting to intrude.
"Intrude!" cried the lady. "You are, like all heroes, modest to a fault. You will always be a welcome guest here. But sit down; you must spend the evening with us."