By this time it wanted but a few minutes of midnight and I rose to go, which recalled him to himself.
'One moment, sir,' he said, 'Now, Kit--near midnight, boy, and you still here! Get home, get home, and be true to your time in the morning, for there's work to do.

Good night! There, bid him good night, Nell, and let him be gone!' 'Good night, Kit,' said the child, her eyes lighting up with merriment and kindness.' 'Good night, Miss Nell,' returned the boy.
'And thank this gentleman,' interposed the old man, 'but for whose care I might have lost my little girl to-night.' 'No, no, master,' said Kit, 'that won't do, that won't.' 'What do you mean ?' cried the old man.
'I'd have found her, master,' said Kit, 'I'd have found her.

I'll bet that I'd find her if she was above ground, I would, as quick as anybody, master.

Ha, ha, ha!' Once more opening his mouth and shutting his eyes, and laughing like a stentor, Kit gradually backed to the door, and roared himself out.
Free of the room, the boy was not slow in taking his departure; when he had gone, and the child was occupied in clearing the table, the old man said: 'I haven't seemed to thank you, sir, for what you have done to-night, but I do thank you humbly and heartily, and so does she, and her thanks are better worth than mine.

I should be sorry that you went away, and thought I was unmindful of your goodness, or careless of her--I am not indeed.' I was sure of that, I said, from what I had seen.