Roger thanked her and took the precaution to inquire the names of her neighbors, before he presented himself at another door. He also reached such a pitch of friendliness that he borrowed a whisk broom from Mrs. Warburton and redeemed his clothes from the condition which had brought him into such disfavor with the maid-servant.
There was no one at home in the next house, but the next after that yielded a parcel which the old lady whom he interviewed said that he might have if he would take it away immediately.
"I might change my mind if you don't," she said. "I've been studying for ten days whether to make over that dress with black silk or dark blue velvet. If I give the dress away I shan't be worried about it any longer."
"Very well," cried Roger, and he rolled the frock up as small as he could and fastened it to his handle bars.
There was no one at home at the next house, but the woman who came to the door at the next after that listened to his story with moist eyes.
"Come in," she said. "I can give you a great many garments. In fact there are so many that perhaps I'd better send them."
"Very well," returned Roger. "Please send them to my aunt's," and he gave the address.
"You see," hesitated Roger's hostess, now frankly wiping her eyes, "I had a little daughter about ten years old, and—and I never have been willing to part with her little dresses and coats, but how could I place them better than now?"
Roger swallowed hard.
"I guess she'd like to have 'em go over there," he stammered, and he was very glad when he escaped from the house, though he told his mother, "she seemed kind of glad to talk about the kid, so I didn't mind much."