disappointed of going to uncle Shaw's on my account. And I know he had
reckoned on it. Now, I want to know one thing,--where did Mr Tooke
sleep last night? For this is his bed."

Dale believed he slept on the sofa. He was sure, at least, that he had
not taken off his clothes; for he had come to the door several times in
the course of the night, to know how all was going on.

"Why, I never knew that!" cried Hugh. "I suppose I was asleep. Dale,
what do you think is the reason that our fathers and mothers and people
take care of us as they do?"

"How do you mean?"

"Why, Agnes and I cannot make it out. When we were by the sea-side,
mother took us a great way along the beach, to a place we did not know
at all; and she bade us pick up shells, and amuse ourselves, while she
went to see a poor woman that lived just out of sight. We played till
we were quite tired; and then we sat down; and still she did not come.
At last, we were sure that she had forgotten all about us; and we did
not think she would remember us any more: and we both cried. Oh! How
we did cry! Then a woman came along, with a basket at her back, and a
great net over her arm: and she asked us what was the matter; and when
we told her, she said she thought it was not likely that mother would
forget us. And then she bade us take hold of her gown, one on each
side, and she would try to take us to mother; and the next thing was
mother came in sight. When the woman told her what we had said, they
both laughed; and mother told us it was impossible that she should leave
us behind. I asked Agnes afterwards why it was impossible; and she did
not know; and I am sure she was as glad as I was to see mother come in
sight. If she really never can forget us, what makes her remember us?"

Dale shook his head. He could not tell.

"Because," continued Hugh, "we can't do anything for anybody, and we
give a great deal of trouble. Mother sits up very late, sometimes till
near twelve, mending our things. There is that great basket of
stockings she has to mend, once a fortnight! And papa works very hard
to get money; and what a quantity he pays for our schooling, and our
clothes, and everything!"

"Everybody would think it very shameful if he did not," suggested Dale.
"If he let you go ragged and ignorant, it would be wicked."

"But why?" said Hugh, vehemently. "That is what I want to know. We are
not worth anything. We are nothing but trouble. Only thi