Sunny Boy, watching the careless, slouching Joe, was surprised to see great tears come into his eyes suddenly. He tried to wipe them away with his coat sleeve.
"I want to go home!" he choked. "It's been an awful long time, and I'm so lonesome—and there's my mother!"
Sunny Boy's mother tucked a clean little white handkerchief into Joe's hand.
"Don't cry," she said kindly. "We'll see that you get home. Here comes Mr. Horton. He'll make it all right."
When Mr. Horton heard that Joe wanted to go home, he said it was the "easiest thing in the world."
"I'll get your ticket and see you on the train," he promised. "There's a local leaving in half an hour. You'll be in Centronia by eight o'clock to-night."
"But I haven't enough money," faltered Joe.
"I'll lend it to you," said Mr. Horton, just as he would speak to a business friend. "Then next week you come down to the office and we'll talk things over. How will that do?"
Joe said he guessed it was all right, and while he and Mr. Horton went off to buy the ticket, Mrs. Horton and Sunny Boy bought a bag of fruit and sandwiches for Joe to have on the train.
"He looks half starved," commented Mrs. Horton. "Won't his mother enjoy getting him a good meal!"