“Because I heard him say so, sir. I went into the place where he was, to look for some people who are wanted, and saw your son sitting with a well-known rough of the name of North, who has become a changed man, however, and has put on the blue ribbon. I knew North well, and recognised your son at once. North seemed to have been trying to persuade your boy to return,” (“bless him! bless him!” from Mrs Twitter), “for I heard him say as I passed—‘Oh! no, no, no, I can never return home!’”
“Where is he? Take me to him at once. My bonnet and shawl, Molly!”
“Pardon me, ma’am,” said Giles. “It is not a very fit place for a lady—though there are some ladies who go to low lodging-houses regularly to preach; but unless you go for that purpose it—”
“Yes, my dear, it would be quite out of place,” interposed Twitter. “Come, it is my duty to go to this place. Can you lead me to it, Mr Scott?”
“Oh! and I should like to go too—so much, so very much!”
It was little Di who spoke, but her father said that the idea was preposterous.
“Pardon me, Sir Richard,” said Mr Seaward, “this happens to be my night for preaching in the common lodging-house where Mr Scott says poor Sam is staying. If you choose to accompany me, there is nothing to prevent your little daughter going. Of course it would be as well that no one whom the boy might recognise should accompany us, but his father might go and stand at the door outside, while the owner of the lodging might be directed to tell Sam that some one wishes to see him.”
“Your plan is pretty good, but I will arrange my plans myself,” said Mr Twitter, who suddenly roused himself to action with a degree of vigour that carried all before it. “Go and do your own part, Mr Seaward. Give no directions to the proprietor of the lodging, and leave Sammy to me. I will have a cab ready for him, and his mother in the cab waiting, with a suit of his own clothes. Are you ready?”
“Quite ready,” said the missionary, amused as well as interested by the good man’s sudden display of resolution. Mrs Twitter, also, was reduced to silence by surprise, as well as by submission. Sir Richard agreed to go and take Di with him, if Giles promised to hold himself in readiness within call.
“You see,” he said, “I have been in similar places before now, but—not with my little child!”