But Mr. Carter declined.
"All right," said the boy. "I guess, what with Pete and all, Bill will have Christmas enough."
"Who is Pete?"
"Bill"s dog. He"s had him three weeks now--the best little pup you ever saw!"
A dog which Bill had had three weeks--and in a neighbourhood not a quarter of a mile from the avenue. It was three weeks since Skiddles had disappeared. That this dog was Skiddles was of course most improbable, and yet the philanthropist was ready to grasp at any clue which might lead to the lost terrier.
"How did Bill get this dog?" he demanded.
"I found him myself. Some kids had tin-canned him, and he came into our entry. He licked my hand, and then sat up on his hind legs. Somebody"d taught him that, you know. I thought right away, "Here"s a dog for Bill!" And I took him over there and fed him, and they kept him in Bill"s room two or three days, so he shouldn"t get scared again and run off; and now he wouldn"t leave Bill for anybody. Of course, he ain"t much of a dog, Pete ain"t," he added, "he"s just a pup, but he"s mighty friendly!"
"Boy," said Mr. Carter, "I guess I"ll just go round and"--he was about to add, "have a look at that dog," but fearful of raising suspicion, he ended--"and see Bill."
The tenements to which the boy led him were of brick, and reasonably clean. Nearly every window showed some sign of Christmas.
The tree-bearer led the way into a dark hall, up one flight--Mr. Carter a.s.sisting with the tree--and down another dark hall, to a door, on which he knocked. A woman opened it.
"Here"s the tree!" said the boy, in a loud whisper. "Is Bill"s door shut?"
Mr. Carter stepped forward out of the darkness.
"I beg your pardon, madam," he said. "I met this young man in the street, and he asked me to come here and see a playmate of his who is, I understand, an invalid. But if I am intruding----"
"Come in," said the woman, heartily, throwing the door open. "Bill will be glad to see you, sir."
The philanthropist stepped inside.
The room was decently furnished and clean. There was a sewing machine in the corner, and in both the windows hung wreaths of holly. Between the windows was a cleared s.p.a.ce, where evidently the tree, when decorated, was to stand.
"Are all the things here?" eagerly demanded the tree-bearer.
"They"re all here, Jimmy," answered Mrs. Bailey. "The candy just came."
"Say," cried the boy, pulling off his red flannel mittens to blow on his fingers, "won"t it be great? But now Bill"s got to see Santa Claus. I"ll just go in and tell him, an" then, when I holler, mister, you come on, and pretend you"re Santa Claus." And with incredible celerity the boy opened the door at the opposite end of the room and disappeared.
"Madam," said Mr. Carter, in considerable embarra.s.sment, "I must say one word. I am Mr. Carter, Mr. Allan Carter. You may have heard my name?"
She shook her head. "No, sir."
"I live not far from here on the avenue. Three weeks ago I lost a little dog that I valued very much. I have had all the city searched since then, in vain. To-day I met the boy who has just left us. He informed me that three weeks ago he found a dog, which is at present in the possession of your son. I wonder--is it not just possible that this dog may be mine?"
Mrs. Bailey smiled. "I guess not, Mr. Carter. The dog Jimmy found hadn"t come off the avenue--not from the look of him. You know there"s hundreds and hundreds of dogs without homes, sir. But I will say for this one, he has a kind of a way with him."
"Hark!" said Mr. Carter.
There was a rustling and a snuffing at the door at the far end of the room, a quick scratching of feet. Then:
"Woof! woof! woof!" sharp and clear came happy impatient little barks.
The philanthropist"s eyes brightened. "Yes," he said, "that is the dog."
"I doubt if it can be, sir," said Mrs. Bailey, deprecatingly.
"Open the door, please," commanded the philanthropist, "and let us see."
Mrs. Bailey complied. There was a quick jump, a tumbling rush, and Skiddles, the lost Skiddles, was in the philanthropist"s arms. Mrs.
Bailey shut the door with a troubled face.
"I see it"s your dog, sir," she said, "but I hope you won"t be thinking that Jimmy or I----"
"Madam," interrupted Mr. Carter, "I could not be so foolish. On the contrary, I owe you a thousand thanks."
Mrs. Bailey looked more cheerful. "Poor little Billy!" she said. "It"ll come hard on him, losing Pete just at Christmas time. But the boys are so good to him, I dare say he"ll forget it."
"Who are these boys?" inquired the philanthropist. "Isn"t their action--somewhat unusual?"
"It"s Miss Gray"s club at the settlement, sir," explained Mrs. Bailey.
"Every Christmas they do this for somebody. It"s not charity; Billy and I don"t need charity, or take it. It"s just friendliness. They"re good boys."
"I see," said the philanthropist. He was still wondering about it, though, when the door opened again, and Jimmy thrust out a face shining with antic.i.p.ation.
"All ready, mister!" he said. "Bill"s waitin" for you!"
"Jimmy," began Mrs. Bailey, about to explain, "the gentleman----"
But the philanthropist held up his hand, interrupting her. "You"ll let me see your son, Mrs. Bailey?" he asked, gently.
"Why, certainly, sir."
Mr. Carter put Skiddles down and walked slowly into the inner room. The bed stood with its side toward him. On it lay a small boy of seven, rigid of body, but with his arms free and his face lighted with joy.
"h.e.l.lo, Santa Claus!" he piped, in a voice shrill with excitement.
"h.e.l.lo, Bill!" answered the philanthropist, sedately.
The boy turned his eyes on Jimmy.
"He knows my name," he said, with glee.
"He knows everybody"s name," said Jimmy. "Now you tell him what you want, Bill, and he"ll bring it to-morrow.
"How would you like," said the philanthropist, reflectively, "an--an----" he hesitated, it seemed so incongruous with that stiff figure on the bed--"an air-gun?"
"I guess yes," said Bill, happily.
"And a train of cars," broke in the impatient Jimmy, "that goes like sixty when you wind her?"
"Hi!" said Bill.