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.
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