[HOW BILLY WENT UP IN THE WORLD.]
BY ANNETTE NOBLE.
Part III.
One day it happened that the tailor had not been home for twenty-four hours. Billy's coming into his family had made Peter very negligent. When he failed to bring food for the old woman and child, he assured himself that most likely Billy would get some. Peter was sure he ought to do that much for the shelter of a comfortable home. So every week the tailor drank more and staid away from that home longer; but Billy, wholly absorbed in his own plans, hardly noticed the fact, and Ben never complained of anything that could be endured. As long as the cow had fresh grass, they had milk and did not suffer. If it happened that Billy heard granny ask for meat, he got it for her; if not, she went without and forgot it from one meal-time to another. Indeed, she forgot everything but her Bible.
Well, as I have just said, Peter had not been home for twenty-four hours. Sunset came, and Billy did not return. The minstrel troupe were getting ready to leave town, and he was probably with them. The cow did not come home as she had often been accustomed to do of her own accord.
All these non-appearances made Ben very uneasy. He laid the table with empty dishes, and then watched on the door-steps. The stars came out and winked at him; the crickets made lonesome music. Presently granny tottered across the room, took up an empty cup, and shook her head musingly.
"Was the tea strong to-night, dearie?" she asked. "It seems as if it must have been poor stuff, I feel so weak."
"You have not had any, granny, but I guess we will s-soo-" began Ben, and then stopped. It did not seem worth while to stutter long over a thing so doubtful. But when the old Clock struck eight, Billy took his torn hat from the peg behind the door and said, "I am going after Brownie; she must have got into Mr. Ellery's pasture."