"He's
mostly so shy with strangers."
Mrs. Dainton nodded her head as if to say "He'll do." And before the
day was over she was inclined to think they had indeed entertained an
angel unawares.
"He's as handy in the house as a woman," she told her husband that
night, "and a master-hand with baby. I think we had better keep him,
instead of the nurse-girl you've been wanting me to have."
"Too late, wifie. I'm hoping to get him into the starting shed
to-morrow or Monday. Anyhow, the loco. manager will see him. We'll
keep him here this week and rig him out with clothes, if only for
Richard's sake."
"And for Christ's sake," said the mother softly. "It will be a case
for 'Inasmuch' I know. He says his teacher used to call him
'Lionheart' and he means to earn the name."
"I rather think he's done that already, judging by the way he stood up
to those bullies on the Waste. We'll see if old Mrs. Garth can give
him a lodging. He'll be comfortable there, and we can have him round
often, and I hope he and Teddy will be chums. I believe he's going to
do well."
The next day it was settled, and Dick was seen by the manager and
engaged as handy-boy for the cleaning shed. The small wages he would
have at first seemed wealth indeed to Dick, though anybody else might
have wondered how lodging and food and clothing could be managed on
such an income.
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