The child suited me very well, and I agreed to take it for as many
days as I might happen to want it, but to pay by the week, in
advance. It was a boy, with a suggestion of orange-red bloom all
over its head, and what looked, to me, like freckles on its cheeks;
while its little nose turned up, even more than those of babies
generally turn--above a very long upper lip. His eyes were blue
and twinkling, and he had the very mouth "fer a leetle poipe," as
Mrs. Hogan admiringly remarked.
He was hastily prepared for his trip, and when I had arranged the
necessary business matters with his aunt, and had assured her that
she could come to see him whenever she liked, I got into the
carriage, and having spread the lap-robe over my knees, the baby,
carefully wrapped in a little shawl, was laid in my lap. Then his
bottle, freshly filled, for he might need a drink on the way, was
tucked between the cushions on the seat beside me, and taking the
lines in my left hand, while I steadied my charge with the other, I
prepared to drive away.
"What's his name?" I asked.
"It's Pat," said his aunt, "afther his dad, who's away in the
moines."
"But ye kin call him onything ye bike," Mrs. Duffy remarked, "fer
he don't ansther to his name yit."
"Pat will do very well," I said, as I bade the good women farewell,
and carefully guided the horse through the swarms of youngsters who
had gathered around the carriage.
CHAPTER XX.
THE OTHER BABY AT RUDDER GRANGE.
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