Page:Mashi and Other Stories.djvu/102

94 The novel attentions of this manikin came as a great relief to Jaganath. It was long since any boy had taken such freedom with him. After a good deal of coaxing and many fair promises, he at last persuaded the boy to come to him, and this was the conversation which followed:

"What's your name, my boy?"

"Nitai Pal."

"Where's your home?"

"Won't tell."

"Who's your father?"

"Won't tell."

"Why won't you?"

"Because I have run away from home."

"What made you do it?"

"My father wanted to send me to school."

It occurred to Jaganath that it would be useless extravagance to send such a boy to school, and his father must have been an unpractical fool not to have thought so.

"Well, well," said Jaganath, "how would you like to come and stay with me?"

"Don't mind," said the boy, and forthwith he installed himself in Jaganath's house. He felt as little hesitation as though it were the shadow of a