He looked to be anything but a
lad that was lonely and forlorn.
William hesitated and fell back. This debonair, self-reliant fellow
could not be Billy! But as a hasty glance down the line revealed only
half a dozen straggling women, and beyond them, no one, William decided
that it must be Billy; and taking brave hold of his courage, he hurried
after the blue-eyed youth and tapped him on the shoulder.
"Er--aren't you Billy?" he stammered.
The lad stopped and stared. He shook his head slowly.
"No, sir," he said.
"But you must be! Are you sure?"
The boy laughed this time.
"Sorry, sir, but my name is 'Frank'; isn't it, mother?" he added
merrily, turning to the lady at his side, who was regarding William very
unfavorably through a pair of gold-bowed spectacles.
William did not wait for more. With a stammered apology and a flustered
lifting of his hat he backed away.
But where was Billy?
William looked about him in helpless dismay. All around was a wide,
empty space. The long aisle to the Hampden Falls train was deserted
save for the baggage-men loading the trunks and bags on to their trucks.
Nowhere was there any one who seemed forlorn or ill at ease except a
pretty girl with a suit-case, and with a covered basket on her arm, who
stood just outside the gate, gazing a little nervously about her.
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