Then Esther would kiss him, and tell him to wait, and to watch for the good fairies who were so kind to little boys.
His whooping cough soon got better, and he was able to go out. One day Esther took him early into the Park. He was dressed all in white fur. Esther told him he looked like Baby Bunting.
"But I haven't got a farwer to buy me a wabbit-skin,"
quoth baby.
That day, however, the father he did not know pressed two or three burning kisses on his round cheek. Esther sat down on a chair near a very worn and shabby-looking man. His back was partly to her. She said a word and he turned round. He looked at the child. Suddenly a light filled his sunken eyes—a beautiful light. He stretched out his arms, and straight as an arrow from a bow, Baby Bunting found a shelter in their close embrace.
"Kiss me," said the man.
The little lips pressed his cheek.
"I 'ove oo," said baby, in his contented voice. "Has 'oo little boys of 'oo own?"
"One little boy."
"Oo 'ove him, I pose?"
"Ay."