come. It is too bad to have our driving tour interrupted like
that." And pretty soon down the stepping-stones he came, as
light and quick as could be, Grandma Bascom lifting both hands
and calling after him, "Well, you're an angel of the Lord,
anyway," and the new doctor was laughing. But he had stopped to
look into Polly's brown eyes. "Don't worry, little girl, he's
all right," he said.

Joel squeezed past them through the doorway, and ran after him.

"Please stop just a minute," he begged.

"Hey?" said the doctor, turning his foot on the step. The tall
girl in the hat with big red roses looked impatient enough, and
beat her foot on the carriage floor, but Joel kept on.

"I like you," he burst out, "ever'n ever so much."

The doctor put one hand on Joel's stubby black hair, and turned
his grimy face up. "You've got to be a man," he said; "now look
out for it while you're a boy. I guess you'll do." He jumped
into the carriage and drove the black pair of horses off at a
smart gait down the road, while Joel stood on the roadside grass
to see him go.




IV