ldn't be trusted, my lad,
you wouldn't be here," said Mr Solomon quietly. "Bit more fat,
mother."

I brightened up, and he saw it.

"Why, of course not, my lad. Didn't I trust you, and send you in among
my choice grapes, and ripe figs, and things. There, say no more about
it. Gardeners don't grow fruit to satisfy their mouths, but their eyes,
and their minds, my lad. Eat away. Don't let a squabble with a
schoolboy who hasn't learned manners spoil your supper. We've never had
any children; but if we had, Grant, I don't think they would be like
that."

"They make me miserable when they are at home," said Mrs Solomon,
speaking almost for the first time.

"Don't see why they should," said Mr Solomon, with his voice sounding
as if his tongue were a little mixed up with his supper. "Why, they
don't come here."

"They might be made such different boys if properly trained."

"They'll come right by and by, but for the present, Grant, you steer
clear of them. They're just like a couple of young slugs, or so much
blight in the garden now."

The supper was ended, and Mrs Solomon, in a very quiet, quick way,
cleared the cloth, and after she had done, placed a Bible on the table,
out of which Mr Solomon read a short chapter, and then shook hands with
me and sent me away happy.

"Good night, my lad!" he said. "It's all strange to you now, and we're
not noisy jolly sort of people, but you're welcome here, and we shall
get on."

"Yes," said Mrs Solomon in a very cold stern way that did not seem at
all inviting or kind. "Come along and I'll show you your bed-room."

I followed her upstairs and into a little room with a sloping ceiling
and a window looking out upon the garden; and at the sight of the neat
little place, smelling of lavender, and with some flowers in a jug upon
the drawers, the depression which kept haunting me was driven away.

Everything looked attractive--the clean white bed and its dainty
hangings, the blue ewer and basin on the washstand, the picture or two
on the wall, and the strips of light-coloured carpet on the white floor,
all made the place cheerful and did something to recompense me for the
trouble of having to leave what seemed to be my regular home, and come
from one who had of late been most fatherly and kind, to people who were
not likely to care for me at all.

"I think there's everything you want," said Mrs Solomon, looking at me
curiously. "Soap and towel, and of course you've