The flagman came next, the icicles hanging to his scrubby mustache, his little blue eyes dancing with anticipation. He was quite out of breath and it was some minutes before he could respond properly to his warm welcome.
“Zo, Fritz Grossman has some friends this Chreestmas; eet es goot!” And his eyes danced harder than ever. He felt down in the pockets of his greatcoat and brought out his hands full of red apples. Their glossy skins bespoke much careful polishing. “Chreestmas apples for the knabelein. He remembers the tale? Ja!”
The stillness outside was suddenly broken by the jingle of bells—sleigh-bells coming nearer and nearer. This time it was Mr. Peter who reached the door first; he had taken down the hall lantern and was holding it high above his head as he peered out.
“Whoa, there!” came a voice from the dark. “That you, Mr. Peter? I ca’late I wouldn’t ha’ broken through no road like this for no one else. But here we be, all hunky-dory!”
“Well, I ca’late there isn’t another man who could have done it. You bring in the lad and I’ll see to the lady.” And Mr. Peter went out into the darkness, lantern in hand.
The next moment David knew his cup of happiness had filled to the brim; for in strode the village stage-driver with Alfredo in his arms, while behind them came Mr. Peter supporting the mother.
“It’s splendid! It’s perfectly splendid!” David said over and over again, as he helped to unbundle the South-Americans and make the sick boy comfortable in the great lounging-chair by the fire.
“It is wonderful,” said the mother, softly. “To have the aloneness and heart-hunger and then to find the friend!” And her arm slipped about David’s shoulders in a way his own mother had.
“Supper’s ready,” called Johanna from the kitchen. “And, Barney, suppose ye and Mr. Peter fetch out the lad, just as he is in his big chair.”
They put Alfredo at one end of the table, while Johanna sat at the other behind the great, steaming coffee-pot. Uncle Joab insisted on serving every one, bustling back and forth from the stove to the kitchen, his black face radiating his pleasure.