"You mustn't ask for anything to eat at the House if you're ever so
hungry."
"Are you hungry?" said Helen.
"Just!"
"Would you like a piece of cake!"
"Piece o' cake? Please. Here, let go."
He shook himself free from the doctor and ran to Helen.
"Sit down on that cushion, and I'll ring for some."
"What, have you got a big bell here? Let me pull it, will you?"
"It is not a big bell, but you may pull it," said Helen, crossing to the
fireplace. "There, that will do."
She led the way back to the chair where she had been seated, and in
spite of herself felt amused and pleased at the way in which the boy's
bright curious eyes examined her, for, outside of his school discipline,
the little fellow acted like a small savage, and was as full of eager
curiosity.
"I say," he said, "how do you do your hair like that? It is nice."
Just then Maria entered the room.
"Bring up the cake, Maria, and a knife and plate--and--stop--bring a
glass of milk."
"Yes, miss," said Maria, staring hard at the boy with anything but
favourable eyes.
"I say, do you drink milk?" said the boy.
"Sometimes. This is for you."
"For me? Oh, I say! But you'll put some water to it, won't you!"
"No; you can drink it as it is. No, no! Stop!"
Helen Grayson was too late; in the exuberance of his delight the boy
relieved his excited feelings by turning the wheel again round the room,
stopping, though, himself, as he reached the place where the doctor's
daughter was seated. "Well, why do you look at me like that?"
"I d'know. Feels nice," said the boy. "I say, is that round-face gal
your sister?"
"Oh no; she's the servant."
"I'm glad of that," said the boy thoughtfully; "she won't eat that cake,
will she!"
Helen compressed her lips to control her mirth, and glanced at her
father again, where he sat with his brow knit and lips pursed up
thinking out his plans.
Maria entered now with the cake and milk, placing a tray on a little
table, and going out to return to the housekeeper, saying--
"Pretty pass things is coming to when servants is expected to wait on
workus boys."
In the drawing-room the object of her annoyance was watching, with
sparkling eyes, the movements of the knife with which Helen Grayson cut
off a goodly wedge of the cake.
"There," she said; "eat that, and sit quite still."
The boy snatched the piece wolfishly, and was lifting it to his mouth,
but he stopped suddenly and stretched out his hand--
"Here; you have first bite," he said.
Helen shook her head, but felt pleased.
"No," she said. "It is for you."
"Do," said the boy, fighting hard with the longing to begin.
"No; eat it yourself."
"Would he have a bit if I asked him!" said the boy, torturing himself in
his generous impulse.
"No, no. You eat it, my boy."
Once more the cake was within an inch of the bright sparkling teeth, but
the bite was not taken. Instead of eating, the boy held out the cake to
his hostess.
"Cut it in half, please," he said; "fair halves."
"What for?"
"I'm going to eat one bit; t'other's for Billy Jingle. He's had
measles, and been very bad, and he's such a good chap."
"You shall have a piece to send to your schoolfellow," said Helen, with
her eyes a little moist now, for the boy's generous spirit was gaining
upon her, and she looked at him with more interest than she had
displayed a few minutes before.
The boy took a tremendous bite, and began to munch as he sat upon a
velvet-covered hassock; but he jumped up directly, and held out the
bitten cake again, to say, with his mouth full--
"Oh, do have a bit. It's lovely."
Helen smiled, and laid her hand upon the boy's shoulder, as she shook
her head, when to her surprise he caught the soft white hand in his
left, gazed hard at it, and then pressed it against his cheek, making a
soft purring noise, no bad imitation of a cat.
Then he sat eating and holding the hand which was not taken away, till,
as the little stranger munched on in the full enjoyment of the wondrous
novelty, the doctor said sharply, "Helen, come here."
The boy stared, but went on eating, and the doctor's daughter crossed
the room to where her father sat.