[Bill is quiet while Eddie talks with the others, reassured by the presence of his voice that he hasn't lost the other boy. When the calls are done and Eddie is back beside him, Bill throws his arm around the smaller boy's shoulders and walks along with him that way.]

I think that's a swell idea, Eddie. We should all stick together. [And really, Richie and Bill were already accustomed to taking care of themselves without adults, anyway.]

And you've been holding up on your own so far, that can't have been easy. [A month is a long time to be alone in a strange place, for any of them, let alone for Eddie.]