wo or three minutes more on
those sugar-plums shaped like marbles, and then away to my business and
work like a man."

So Lubin plunged his fat hand into his pocket, and drew forth his purse
of Time. In went his fingers, fumbling about to pull out the minutes
that he wanted, but he fumbled and felt in vain--not an hour was
left--not a single little minute, to pay for what he required.

"It's that rogue Procrastination who has robbed me!" exclaimed the
indignant boy, as turning sharply round he caught a glimpse of a slim
little figure sneaking round the corner of a counter.

Lubin instantly gave chase. Fat as he was, it was wonderful to see how
he dodged the pickpocket, first round this stall, then round that,
shouting all the time, "Stop, thief! stop, thief!" as loudly as he could
bawl. I need scarcely add that all the boy's efforts were useless. Who
ever yet recovered lost Time? Out of breath and out of heart, poor Lubin
stopped panting at last; Procrastination had had a fair start, and
carried off his spoil in triumph.

"There's no use in attempting to go to Education to-day, I've not a
minute left," was Lubin's sorrowful reflection. "Oh, that I had started
with my sister, had thought of my business before my play, what useful
things I might then have bought with the hours which are now lost to me
for ever!"

CHAPTER XV.

DUTY AND AFFECTION.

In the meantime, poor Nelly had been wearily wending her way along the
lane of Trouble, with her burdensome Division on her shoulder. She felt,
as many a little student has felt, quite out of humour for work; her
arms ached, and so did her head; the mud in the lane was so deep that
she could scarcely keep on her shoes, and she sometimes sank in it
almost up to her ankle.

Thus in sorrowful plight the lame girl at last reached the brook of
Bother. Its brown turbid waters looked rougher and deeper and dirtier
than they ever had done before. The stepping-stones had almost
disappeared!

Nelly Desley heaved a long weary sigh as she looked before her, and
rubbed her forehead very hard, as puzzled children are wont to do.

"Oh, this tiresome Division, how shall I ever manage it! I never saw
Bother so bad. _Nine's in fifty-nine_"--another violent rub; "I know
what will be _in_, a poor little girl will be in brook Bother!--and
_what's to be carried_? why this grate is to be carried, and a very
_great_ vexation it is."

Weary Nelly sat down, almost in despair, on a s