Mrs. Carter's face relaxed a shade: "Yes, I've tried to think that--!"
"Well, doncha worry, Mizz Carter, I'll lookim up fer ya, I know 'bout
where he might be."
"Oh, thank you Billy," her face wreathed in wavering smiles brought
another thought of school days and life and how queer it was that grown
folks had been children sometime and children had to be grown folks.
"Billy, Mark likes you very much. I'm sure he won't mind your knowing
that I'm worried, but you know how boys don't like to have their
mothers worry, so you needn't say anything to Mark that I said I was
worried, need you? You understand Billy. I'm not really worried
you know. Mark was always a good boy."
"Aw sure!" said Billy with a knowing wink. "He's a prince! You leave it
t'me, Mizz Carter!"
"Thank you, Billy. I'll do something for you sometime. But how's it
come you're up so early? You haven't had your breakfast yet have you?"
She eyed his weary young face with a motherly anxiety: "Naw, I didn't have no time to stop fer breakfast," Billy spoke
importantly, "Got this call about the sick guy and had to beat it. Say,
you don't happen to know Mark's license number do you? It might help a
lot, savin' time 'f'I could tell his car at sight. Save stoppin' to
ast."
"Well, now, I don't really--" said the woman ruminatively, "let me see.
There was six and six, there were a lot of sixes if I remember--"
"Oh, well, it don't matter--" Billy grasped his wheel and prepared to
leave.
"Wait, Billy, you must have something to eat--"
"Aw, naw, I can't wait! Gotta beat it! Might miss 'im!"
"Well, just a bite. Here, I'll get you some cookies!"
She vanished, and he realized for the first time that he was hungry.
Cookies sounded good.
She returned with a brimming glass of milk and a plate of cookies. She
stuffed the cookies in his pockets, while he drank the milk.
"Say,--" said he after a long sweet draught of the foaming milk, "Ya,
aint got enny more you cud spare fer that sick guy, have ya? Wait, I'll
save this. Got a bottle?"
"Indeed you won't, Billy Gaston. You just drink that every drop. I'll
get you another bottle to take with you. I got extra last night 'count
of Mark being home, and then he didn't drink it. He always likes a
drink of milk last thing before he goes to bed."