ay I go and play with Hester. May
be I could keep her quiet while you're busy hanging out clothes."

"What! and let you go slopping about, I suppose, just when I'd made
all ready for my master's breakfast. Thank you, but my own children's
mischief is as much as I reckon on; I'll have none of strange lads in my
house."

"I did not mean to do mischief or slop," said Tom, a little sadly at
being misunderstood in his good intentions. "I only wanted to help."

"If you want to help, lift me up those clothes' pegs, and save me
stooping; my back's broken with it."

Tom would much rather have gone to play with and amuse little Hester;
but it was true enough that giving Mrs. Jones the clothes' pegs as she
wanted them would help her as much; and perhaps keep her from being so
cross with her children if they did anything to hinder her. Besides,
little Hester's cry had died away, and she was evidently occupied in
some new pursuit (Tom could only hope that it was not in mischief this
time); so he began to give Ann the pegs as she wanted them, and she,
soothed by his kind help, opened her heart a little to him.

"I wonder how it is your mother has trained you up to be so handy, Tom;
you're as good as a girl--better than many a girl. I don't think Hester
in three years' time will be as thoughtful as you. There!" (as a fresh
scream reached them from the little ones inside the house), "they are at
some mischief again; but I'll teach 'em," said she, getting down from
her stool in a fresh access of passion.

"Let me go," said Tom, in a begging voice, for he dreaded the cruel
sound of another slap. "I'll lift the basket of pegs on to a stool, so
that you need not stoop; and I'll keep the little ones safe out of
mischief till you're done. Do let me go, missus."

With some grumblings at losing his help, she let him go into the
house-place. He found Hester, a little girl of five, and two younger ones.
They had been fighting for a knife, and in the struggle, the second,
Johnnie, had cut his finger--not very badly, but he was frightened at
the sight of the blood; and Hester, who might have helped, and who was
really sorry, stood sullenly aloof, dreading the scolding her mother
always gave her if either of the little ones hurt themselves while under
her care.

"Hester," said Tom, "will you get me some cold water, please? it will
stop the bleeding better than anything. I daresay you can find me a
basin to hold it."

Hester trotted off,