We'll show you."
"Yes, I would like to see the house."
The boys arose, one of them rather sleepily. They led the way across the
railway company's lot, then along a sparsely built up street, and around
the corner into a more populous but quiet highway. At the corner was a
grocery and dry-goods store; beyond that were neat and airy two-story
houses, fronted by a yard closed in by iron fences. One of these houses had
a little piazza, on which sat two children. From the open half-door and
from two windows came light.
"That's Hackett's house," said one of the boys.
"Thanks, very much," replied the tramp, continuing to walk with them.
The boys looked surprised at his not stopping at the house, but they said
nothing.
At the next corner the tramp spoke up:
"I think I'll go back now. Good night, youngsters."
The boys trudged on, and the tramp retraced his steps. When he reached the
Hacketts' house, he paused at the gate. The children, a boy of eight and a
girl of six, looked at him curiously from the piazza.
"Are you Mr. Hackett's little boy and girl?" he asked.
The girl stepped back to the hall door and stood there.
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