The figure vanished, and presently the lad heard his aunt say:

"What are you fussin' about, Mr. Dopples? Can't a body stir 'thout you
havin' a fit?"

"I only wanted to know where ye were," was the shock headed man's
reply. "What are ye progin' round this time o' night for?"

"Cause I want to. Now shet up and go to sleep."

While Ralph was wondering what on earth his aunt, whom he had never
seen before, could want to say to him at such an hour, the talking in
the other room died away, and was succeeded soon by a resonant snoring,
that denoted Mr. Dopples' prompt obedience to his wife's last command.

Shortly thereafter she swept softly into the boy's room, wrapped in a
shawl and seated herself at his side.

"Are you awake?" she said in a whisper.

Ralph said, "Yes;" and propped himself in a listening attitude.

"You think strange, I reckon, at my comin' to you in this way," she
began. "You've never seen and hardly ever heard of us before. But
when I learned the way your grandpap have treated you, I felt sorry,
and I want to help you what little I can."

"I'm mightily obliged, aunt," replied Ralph, still puzzled how to
connect this friendly wish with the object of such a visit as she was
making tonight.