"Don't know me?" There was a titter of nearly noiseless laughter.
"Felt me pressin' your chist, didn't you?"
"Yes. At first I thought I must be stiflin', but----"
"If you want to wake a person 'thout speakin', you press on their
chist. Hit always fetches 'em. Don't you know me yet?"
Ralph murmured a low negative.
"Well, then, I'll tell you I'm----"
A sound of feet striking the floor heavily was heard from one of the
other rooms, and was followed by the voice of Mr. Dopples, calling out:
"Tildy! Oh, Tildy! Where be ye, Tildy?"
CHAPTER III.
Ralph Continues His Journey.
The form at Ralph's bedside grasped his hand again in a warning
pressure.
"Keep quiet," it said. "I'm your Aunt Tildy. I have something to say
to you by and by."
The figure vanished, and presently the lad heard his aunt say:
"What are you fussin' about, Mr. Dopples? Can't a body stir 'thout you
havin' a fit?"
"I only wanted to know where ye were," was the shock headed man's
reply. "What are ye progin' round this time o' night for?"
"Cause I want to. Now shet up and go to sleep."
While Ralph was wondering what on earth his aunt, whom he had never
seen before, could want to say to him at such an hour, the talking in
the other room died away, and was succeeded soon by a resonant snoring,
that denoted Mr. Dopples' prompt obedience to his wife's last command.
Shortly thereafter she swept softly into the boy's room, wrapped in a
shawl and seated herself at his side.
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