ach up to the clouds; I'm sure
the birds couldn't build their nests up there! Why they were three times
higher nor these chimbley stacks!'

"'I liked the ride best,' said Jemmie; 'wasn't it nice to be carried
along like that, and resting all the time; and teacher was so kind. She
lent me her thick shawl to sit on; and how nice it was. What a lot of
flowers we brought you, mother. And how nice and dry our acorns have
kept.'

"'When I'm only a little bit older,' said Sam, 'and earn more money,
we'll have such jaunts into the country; won't it be fun to climb a
tree, and lie on the grass!'

"The mother sighed wearily; but she encouraged the children to gossip on
cheerfully, for the work went twice as quick, while the memories were
living over again the few, few days of fresh air and sunshine they had
known. And the work _must_ be done, for the sake of food and shelter,
such as it was. As for clothes, they were not thought of; for they were
darned, patched, and "tidied up," till they were _all_ darn, and only
replaced, when some kind friend gave a cast off garment. Jemmie made
pretty little dolls' bedsteads, the frames of which, made of white wire,
she bent into shape, and strengthened with slender strips of tin. Sam
soldered them neatly together for her in his precious spare time, the
wire and tin being sold to her cheap, cut ready into lengths, by a
friendly tinman. Then Jemmie trimmed them up with white muslin worked
round with gay coloured yarn. They were such pretty little toys that she
found a tolerably ready sale for them.

"'What a sight of work you've got for me, Jemmie!' said Sam, as his
mother cleared away the tea, and his sister got out the wires. 'A chap
ought to have a lot of strength for such a nigger drivin' missus as
you!'

"'Never mind, Sam,' said Jemmie, cheerfully; 'don't do no more nor you
feels inclined for. But Mr. Dobbs had such a lot of bits for _me_ this
week, and as mother was slack of work, she turned to and made up all the
curtains and valances, and I had only to do the wool work. So we've got
a sight of 'em done, and then, if mother has time this week, she thought
she'd take a few round and sell 'em.'

"'So she shall!' said Sam, setting vigorously to work, '_I_ don't mind,
there's lots of work yet in this here feller, all along of your cup of
tea, mother, and the holiday to-morrow.'

"'I think it wouldn't do no harm, Jemmie,' said the widow, as she
finished me, and laid me aside, 'if y