"What!" said Wesley. "Wrong words been coming again. Oh Billy, I do wish
you could remember! I can't sit and eat cookies before a little boy
who has none. I'll have to put mine back, too." Billy's face twisted in
despair.
"Aw go on!" he said gruffly, but his chin was jumping, for Wesley was
his idol.
"Can't do it," said Wesley. "It would choke me."
Billy turned to Margaret. "You make him," he appealed.
"He can't, Billy," said Margaret. "I know how he feels. You see, I can't
myself."
Then Billy slid from his chair, ran to the couch, buried his face in
the pillow and cried heart-brokenly. Wesley hurried to the barn, and
Margaret to the kitchen. When the dishes were washed Billy slipped from
the back door.
Wesley piling hay into the mangers heard a sound behind him and
inquired, "That you, Billy?"
"Yes," answered Billy, "and it's all so dark you can't see me now, isn't
it?"
"Well, mighty near," answered Wesley.
"Then you stoop down and open your mouth."
Sinton had shared bites of apple and nuts for weeks, for Billy had not
learned how to eat anything without dividing with Jimmy and Belle. Since
he had been separated from them, he shared with Wesley and Margaret.
So he bent over the boy and received an instalment of cooky that almost
choked him.
"Now you can eat it!" shouted Billy in delight. "It's all dark! I can't
see what you're doing at all!"
Wesley picked up the small figure and set the boy on the back of a horse
to bring his face level so that they could talk as men.
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