"Of course!"
"My mother didn't love me," said Billy. "She went away and left me, and never came back. She don't care what happens to me. You wouldn't go away and leave your little girl, would you?" questioned Billy of Mrs. Comstock.
"No," said Katharine Comstock, "and I wouldn't leave a little boy, either."
Billy was half off Elnora's knees.
"Do you like boys?" he questioned.
"If there is anything I love it is a boy," said Mrs. Comstock assuringly. Billy was on the floor.
"Do you like dogs?"
"Yes. Almost as well as boys. I am going to buy a dog just as soon as I can find a good one."
Billy swept toward her with a whoop.
"Do you want a boy?" he shouted.
Katherine Comstock stretched out her arms, and gathered him in.
"Of course, I want a boy!" she rejoiced.
"Maybe you'd like to have me?" offered Billy.
"Sure I would," triumphed Mrs. Comstock. "Any one would like to have you. You are just a real boy, Billy."
"Will you take Snap?"
"I'd like to have Snap almost as well as you."
"Mother!" breathed Elnora imploringly. "Don't! Oh, don't! He thinks you mean it!"
"And so I do mean it," said Mrs. Comstock. "I'll take him in a jiffy. I throw away enough to feed a little
