But presently another thought made Teddy lift his head, and look
anxiously about him to make sure that his emotion had not been seen
by any one. He was still alone; and, with a sigh of relief, he
dashed away the tears from his eyes, muttering,--

"It's the big fool I am, entirely! Sure and mightn't she have picked
up the bracelet in the street, where maybe the little lady they've
lost dropped it? And, if she looks like the picture, so does many a
one beside; and it's no call I have to be troubling the master with
telling him about her anyway. She's my own little sister, and I'll
keep her to myself."

A sudden sharp recollection darted through the boy's mind, and he
grew a little pale as he added,--

"Leastways, I'll keep her if God will let me; and sure isn't he
stronger nor me? If it isn't for me to have her, can't he take her,
if it's by death, or if it's by leading them that's searching for
her to where she is? And more by token, that's the way I'll try it.
If God means she shall stay and be my little sister, she'll live,
and I'll take her, and say nothing to nobody about it: but, if it's
displasin' to him, she'll die; and then I'll tell the master all
about it, and he may do what he's a mind to with me. That's the way
I'll fix it."

And Teddy, well satisfied with his own bad argument, took comfort,
and went back to his books.

When Mr. Burroughs returned to the office, he was accompanied by Mr.
Barlow, the gentleman who was to occupy it during his absence; and