entle as our Miss Theedory that one of the great God's
commandments is to "Honour thy father and thy mother"! Ain't that so?'

'Yes; but--but,' sobbed Theo, who, tired out and ashamed of herself as
well, suddenly broke down, as much to her own astonishment as to that
of Goody, 'that means a father and a mother who take a real interest in
their children, who----'

'It don't say so special, if so be as it means that!' rejoined Goody
dryly. 'It don't mention any sort in pertikler. It just says "thy
father an' thy mother"; and that's all you and I've got to do with it.
Let's look to our part, and perform it. But folks is always in such a
hurry to settle other people's bis'ness that they lose sight of their
own.'

'Oh, Goody, you're right! What a monster, what a bad girl you must
think me!' Theo sat up straight. 'I am ashamed of myself. To think I
should grumble at my own father, my good father, who was such a brave
sailor, as everybody knows, and who never has been unkind to one of us
children in all our lives!'

'That's it, deary! That's it. 'Tain't what your father isn't, but
what he is, that you've got to look at, and to be grateful for.
Remember what I'm a-goin' to say, and don't 'ee take offence at an old
body's words. We never, none of us, has but one father on earth,
same's we've but one Father in heaven, who commands us so special to
honour our earthly parents. And another thing, deary; them things as
seem mountains in your young eyes seems but trifles to the captain's
eyes. If the time comes as there's real need for him to interfere, and
bring about order in his own home, he will be safe to do it, never ye
fear. The captain he was one of them as England expec's every man to
do his dooty, and he did it in battle, so I've heard tell. And he will
do it by you and the b'ys, don't 'ee fear!'

'I'm sure he will,' said Theo humbly. She had come full of the spirit
of putting everything and everybody to rights, and she told herself
that her own pride and self-sufficiency had earned its well-merited
fall. Theo Carnegy's heart was too gentle and single in thought to
harbour arrogant pride. Her quick repentance for the ill-advised words
she had suffered to spring off her lips gave ample proof that it was
so, and that in her the Christian spirit reigned.

'Here's Ned a-comin'!' Granny lifted her head sharply to listen to a
prolonged, familiar whistle, and the cat, uncurling herself, rose up
into an arc