Yet, though seldom it came uppermost in his thoughts, by
some chance, the ancient, awful look on Teddy's face rose to his mind that
Christmas Eve. Joseph had a theory, sure founded on Scripture, and he
stoutly believed that the poacher had harboured a devil in him in the
past.
"Yet now without a doubt it has been cast out," thought Joseph, "and no
man will ever see it look out of his eyes no more, because it have gone,
thank God."
His duty done he went home to rest; but the man's sleep was broken just
after peep-o'-day by the awfullest scream ever he heard.
His child it was. Joey slept in a little room alongside his parents and,
of course, Minnie was up to him like a flash of lightning, with Joseph
after her. He said at a later time that 'Santa Claus' had got in his
dreams and he had suffered all night from a great uneasiness; but he was
sleeping sound enough when, just after six o'clock, the child screamed and
screamed again. And still he screamed when his mother got to him and his
father followed after, stopping only to light a candle.
Poor Joey was out of bed with his mother's arms round him when his father
got there; and on the bed lay Teddy's box of sweets scattered over the
cover-lid, with the Christmas stocking dragged up also, but its contents
not yet explored. The sweeties came first, and Joey had opened them and
now he screamed and pointed and screamed again, but for the moment
couldn't speak.
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