Shaver was highly pleased with his Christmas stockings, but his pleasure was nothing to that of The Hopper, Mary, and Humpy, as they stood about the bed and watched him.  Mary and Humpy were so relieved by The Hopper’s promises to lead a better life that they were now disposed to treat their guest with the most distinguished consideration.  Humpy, absenting himself to perform his morning tasks in the poultry-houses, returned bringing a basket containing six newly hatched chicks.  These cheeped and ran over Shaver’s fat legs and performed exactly as though they knew they were a part of his Christmas entertainment.  Humpy, proud of having thought of the chicks, demanded the privilege of serving Shaver’s breakfast.  Shaver ate his porridge without a murmur, so happy was he over his new playthings.

Mary bathed and dressed him with care.  As the candy had stuck to the stockings in spots, it was decided after a family conference that Shaver would have to wear them wrong side out as there was no time to be wasted in washing them.  By eight o’clock The Hopper announced that it was time for Shaver to go home.  Shaver expressed alarm at the thought of leaving his chicks; whereupon Humpy conferred two of them upon him in the best imitation of baby talk that he could muster.

“Me’s tate um to me’s gwanpas,” said Shaver; “chickee for me’s two gwanpas,”—­a remark which caused The Hopper to shake for a moment with mirth as he recalled his last view of Shaver’s “gwanpas” in a death grip upon the floor of “Gwanpa” Talbot’s house.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

IX

When The Hopper rolled away from Happy Hill Farm in the stolen machine, accompanied by one stolen child and forty thousand dollars’ worth of stolen pottery, Mary wept, whether because of the parting with Shaver, or because she feared that The Hopper would never return, was not clear.

Humpy, too, showed signs of tears, but concealed his weakness by performing a grotesque dance, dancing grotesquely by the side of the car, much to Shaver’s joy—­a joy enhanced just as the car reached the gate, where, as a farewell attention, Humpy fell down and rolled over and over in the snow.

The Hopper’s wits were alert as he bore Shaver homeward.  By this time it was likely that the confiding young Talbots had conferred over the telephone and knew that their offspring had disappeared.  Doubtless the New Haven police had been notified, and he chose his route with discretion to avoid unpleasant encounters.  Shaver, his spirits keyed to holiday pitch, babbled ceaselessly, and The Hopper, highly elated, babbled back at him.

They arrived presently at the rear of the young Talbots’ premises, and The Hopper, with Shaver trotting at his side, advanced cautiously upon the house bearing the two baskets, one containing Shaver’s chicks, the other the precious porcelains.  In his survey of the landscape he noted with trepidation the presence of two big limousines in the highway in front of the cottage and decided that if possible he must see Muriel alone and make his report to her.