till, mother, and I'll make it. I can."

"If both our backs are to be broken," said Mrs. Mathieson, "I'd rather
mine would break first." And she went on with her preparations.

"But you don't like porridge," said Nettie. "You didn't eat anything
last night."

"That's nothing, child. I can bear an empty stomach, if only my brain
wasn't quite so full."

Nettie drew near the stove and looked on, a little sorrowfully.

"I wish you had something you liked, mother! If only I was a little
older, wouldn't it be nice? I could earn something then, and I would
bring you home things that you liked out of my own money."

This was not said sorrowfully, but with a bright gleam as of some
fancied and pleasant possibility. The gleam was so catching, Mrs.
Mathieson turned from her porridge-pot which she was stirring, to give a
very heartfelt kiss to Nettie's lips; then she stirred on, and the
shadow came over her face again.

"Dear," she said, "just go in Barry's room and straighten it up a little
before he comes in--will you? I haven't had a minute to do it, all day;
and there wont be a bit of peace if he comes in and it isn't in order."

Nettie turned and opened another door, which let her into a small
chamber used as somebody's bedroom. It was all brown, like the other; a
strip of the same carpet in the middle of the floor, and a small cheap
chest of drawers, and a table. The bed had not been made up, and the
tossed condition of the bedclothes spoke for the strength and energy of
the person that used them, whoever he was. A pair of coarse shoes were
in the middle of the whole; another pair, or rather a pair of
half-boots, out at the toes, were in the middle of the floor; stockings,
one under the bed and one under the table. On the table was a heap of
confusion; and on the little bureau were to be seen pieces of wood, half
cut and uncut, with shavings, and the knife and saw that had made them.
Old newspapers, and school books, and a slate, and two kites, with no
end of tail, were lying over every part of the room that happened to be
convenient; also an ink bottle and pens; with chalk and resin and a
medley of unimaginable things beside, that only boys can collect
together and find delight in. If Nettie sighed as all this hurly-burly
met her eye, it was only an internal sigh. She set about patiently
bringing things to order. First made the bed, which it took all her
strength to do: for the coverlets were of a very heavy and coar