s.

"Law me! 'tisn't nothing to have made such a fuss about, after all," she
remarked shamefacedly, as Irene bathed the cut in clean cold water,
"I thought for certain the top of my finger was lying round on the floor
somewhere, and the thought of it made me feel that ill."

"Well, don't think about it any more," laughed Irene, as she deftly tore
up strips of linen, "it is too horrid. Tell me now if I am binding your
finger too tightly. There! Isn't that neat! I daresay a doctor or a
nurse would laugh at it, but if it answers the purpose, that is all that
really matters, isn't it? Now I am going to make you a sling."

"But I can't use it if it is in a sling, miss."

"No, that is just why I am going to give you one. I want you to keep your
hand up, at any rate for an hour or two, to prevent its beginning to bleed
again. There, I am sure that looks like a First-Aid professional sling.
Now, when I have washed, I want you to tell me what you were going to cook
for dinner to-day."

"There's a round of beef to roast, miss, and fruit to stew, and a milk
pudding to make."

"That is easy enough, I feel I would like something more difficult.
I daresay, though, I shall find it enough, by the time I have done!
Do you have a suet pudding with the beef?"

"No-o, miss, we--we haven't had one lately. I believe they used to, but--
well, I don't seem able to make them proper, so I never tries now."

"Well, I daresay everyone would like one--the children will, for certain.
I'll show you how I have made them at home, then you will be able to do it
another time. My mother taught me."

"Nobody never taught me," said Mary, apologetically, "I just had to pick
things up as I could."

"Don't they teach you at school?"

"Oh no, miss. I learnt a lot about hygiene, and how to draw an apple, but
I was never no good with a pencil--and what good would it do me if I could
draw apples? Mother said, 'better fit they taught me how to peel one
properly.'"

Irene laughed. "Well, it does seem that it would have done you more good
to have learnt how to grow them, or how to cook them! Now, to begin!
First of all I am going to wash the breakfast things, or we shall have no
room to move."

Mary looked really shocked. "Oh no, miss! You mustn't. Just think about
your 'ands."

"I am thinking about my hands," said Irene cheerfully. "Did you ever hear
about the Thanksgiving of the Hands, Mary?"

Mary, looking puzzled, shook her head.