For a few minutes she could not make out who they were, or what they
were doing. Then she saw that the one taller than the others was a
man, and that he was surrounded by a group of boys. Several of them
ran backward in front of him, and all of them seemed greatly excited
over something that he bore in his arms. It was a red bundle that
squirmed and struggled as though it was alive. Sabella looked for a
moment longer, then she darted down the short flight of steps leading
to the living-room, and flung open the outer door.
"It's Don Blossom! It's my own dear, sweet Don Blossom!" she cried,
almost snatching the trembling little animal from the man's arms in her
eagerness.
The man stepped inside, and closed the door to shut out the boys, who,
after lingering a few minutes, gradually dispersed.
"Oh, you dear monkey! How could you run away? You naughty, naughty
Don Blossom! Was he cold and wet and hungry and frightened? But he's
safe now, and he shall have his breakfast directly; so he shall, the
dear blessed!"
While Sabella was so much engrossed with her pet as to be unmindful of
all else, the man who had restored him to her stood just within the
doorway and watched her, with an amused smile.
"So he is your monkey, is he? I thought he must be when I first saw
him," he said at length.
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