Sir George took him on his knees and kissed him, and the tears rose in his dull eyes.

He got up with him, carried him to the box, placed him on it once more, and fetched a piece of brown paper from under the bed.

From this he tore carefully several slips, with which he then proceeded to take a most thoughtful measurement of the baffling foot.

He was far more to be pitied than Gibbie, who would not have worn the boots an hour had they been the best fit in shoedom.

The soles of his feet were very nearly equal in resistance to leather, and at least until the snow and hard frost came, he was better without boots.
But now the darkness had fallen, and his joy was at the door.