be cakes. The potatoes are all ready to
put down--I was going to boil 'em this morning, and he stopped me."

Nettie looked grave about the cakes. "However, mother," she said, "I
don't believe that little loaf of bread would last, even if you and I
didn't touch it; it is not very big."

Mrs. Mathieson wearily sat down and took her Testament, as Nettie begged
her; and Nettie put on the kettle and the pot of potatoes, and made the
cakes ready to bake. The table was set, and the treacle and everything
on it, except the hot things, when Barry burst in.

"Hollo, cakes!--hollo, treacle!" he shouted. "Pork and treacle--that's
the right sort of thing. Now we're going to live something like."

"Hush, Barry, don't make such a noise," said his sister. "You know it's
Sunday evening."

"Sunday! well, what about Sunday? What's Sunday good for, except to eat,
I should like to know?"

"O Barry!"

"O Barry!" said he, mimicking her. "Come, shut up, and fry your cake.
Father and Lumber will be here just now."

Nettie hushed, as she was bade; and as soon as her father's step was
heard below, she went to frying cakes with all her might. She just
turned her head to give one look at Mr. Lumber as he came in. He
appeared to her very like her father, but without the recommendation
which her affection gave to Mr. Mathieson. A big, strong, burly fellow,
with the same tinges of red about his face, that the summer sun had
never brought there. Nettie did not want to look again.

She had a good specimen this evening of what they might expect in
future. Mrs. Mathieson poured out the tea, and Nettie baked the cakes;
and perhaps because she was almost faint for want of something to eat,
she thought no three people ever ate so many griddle cakes before at one
meal. In vain plateful after plateful went upon the board, and Nettie
baked them as fast as she could; they were eaten just as fast; and when
finally the chairs were pushed back, and the men went down stairs,
Nettie and her mother looked at each other.

"There's only one left, mother," said Nettie.

"And he has eaten certainly half the piece of pork," said Mrs.
Mathieson. "Come, child, take something yourself; you're ready to drop.
I'll clear away."

But it is beyond the power of any disturbance to take away the gladness
of a heart where Jesus is. Nettie's bread was sweet to her, even that
evening. Before she had well finished her supper, her father and his
lodger came back. They sat