But he had promptly ceased to cry.

And then, as she held him close to her in the darkness, suddenly Jims laughed--a real, gurgly, chuckly, delighted, delightful laugh.
"Oh, you dear little thing!" exclaimed Rilla.

"Are you so pleased at finding you're not all alone, lost in a huge, big, black room ?" Then she knew she wanted to kiss him and she did.

She kissed his silky, scented little head, she kissed his chubby little cheek, she kissed his little cold hands.

She wanted to squeeze him--to cuddle him, just as she used to squeeze and cuddle her kittens.