almost without knowing where his feet were carrying him, tony sauntered through the streets until he found himself at the turn into the alley within a few yards of oliver's home, and his beloved dolly. at any rate he could pass down it, and, if the shop-door was not shut, he would wrap his beautiful silver coin in a rag, and throw it into the inside; they would be sure to guess who had done it, and what it was for. it was dark down the alley, only one lamp and the greengrocer's gas lighting it up, and tony stole along quietly in the shadow. it was nearly time for dolly to be going to bed, he thought, and old oliver was sure to be with her in the inner room; but just as he came into the revealing glare of the greengrocer's stall, his ears rang and his heart throbbed violently at the sound of a shrill little scream of gladness, and the next moment he felt himself caught by dolly's arms, and dragged into the house by them.
"tony's come home, tony's come home, gan-pa!" she shouted with all her might. "dolly's found tony at last!"
dolly's voice quivered, and broke down into quick, childish sobs, while she held tony very fast, lest he should escape from her once again; and old oliver came quickly from the room beyond, and laid his hand fondly upon the boy's shoulder.
"why have you kept away from us so long, tony?" he asked.
"oh, master!" he cried, "i've been a wicked boy, and a miserable boy. do forgive me, and i'll never do so no more. i s'pose you'll never let me sleep under the counter again?"
"come in, come in!" answered oliver, pushing him gently before him into the house. "we've been waiting and watching for you every night, me and my little love. you ought not to have served us so, my lad; but we're too glad to be angry with you. charlotte's sharp, and she's very much afraid of low ways and manners; but she isn't a hard woman, and she didn't know anything about you. when i told her as you'd been left no bigger than my little love here to take care of yourself, alone, in london,—mother dead, and no father,—she shed tears about you, she did. and she left you the biggest of her eggs to be kept for your supper, with her kind love; and we've put it by for you. you shall have it this very night. dolly, my love, bring me the little saucepan."
"i'm not so clean as i could wish," said tony, mournfully; for he had neglected himself during the last week, and looked very much like what he had done when he had first seen old oliver and his little grand-daughter.
"take a bowl full of water into the shop, then," answered oliver, "and wash yourself, while i boil the egg. dolly'll find you a bit of soap and a towel; she's learning to be grand-pa's little housekeeper, she is."
when tony returned to the kitchen he looked a different being; the gloom was gone as well as the grime. he felt as if he had come to himself after a long and very miserable dream. here was old oliver again, looking at him with a kindly light in his dim eyes, and dolly dancing about, with her pretty, merry little ways; and beppo wagging his tail in joyous welcome, as he sniffed round and round him. even the egg was a token of forgiveness and friendliness. that terrible old woman was not his enemy, after all. he recollected what she had said he must do, and he resolved to do it for dolly's sake, and old oliver's. he would learn to read and write, and he would pinch himself hard to buy some better clothing, lest he should continue to be a disgrace to them; shoes he must have first of all, as those were what the sharp but friendly old woman had particularly mentioned. at any rate, he could never run away again from this home, where he was so loved and cared for.
oliver told him how sadly dolly had fretted after him, and watched for him at the door, hour after hour, to see him come home again. he said that in the same way, only with a far greater longing and love, his master, the lord jesus christ, was waiting for tony to go to him. he could not half understand it, but a vague feeling of a love passing all understanding sank deeply into his heart. he fell asleep that night under the counter with the tranquil peacefulness of one who has been tossed about in a great storm and tempest, and has been brought safely to the desired haven.
