hat we have an orange and some toffee at
once, Bill."

"I have tasted oranges," Bill said, "lots of them in the market, but I
never tasted toffee."

"It's first-rate, I can tell you."

"Why, they look like bits of tin," Bill said as the packet was opened.

George burst into a laugh.

"That's tin-foil, that's only to wrap it up; you peel that off, Bill,
and you will find the toffee inside. Now, mother, you have a glass of
wine and a piece of cake."

"I will have a piece of cake, George; but I am not going to open the
wine. We will put that by in case of illness or of any very
extraordinary occasion."

"I am glad the other things won't keep, mother, or I expect you would
be wanting to put them all away. Isn't this toffee good, Bill?"

"First-rate," Bill agreed. "What is it made of?"

"Sugar and butter melted together over the fire."

"You are like two children," Mrs. Andrews laughed, "instead of boys
getting on for sixteen years old. Now I must clear this table again
and get to work; I promised these four bonnets should be sent in
to-morrow morning, and there's lots to be done to them yet."

It was three weeks before the boys were able to go to work again. The
foreman came round on Saturdays with their wages. Mr. Penrose called
again; this time they were out, but he chatted for some time with Mrs.
Andrews.

"I don't wish to pry into your affairs, Mrs. Andrews," he said, after
asking about the boys; "but I have a motive for asking if your son
has, as I suppose he has, from his way of speaking, had a fair
education."

"He was at school up to the age of twelve," Mrs. Andrews said quietly;
"circumstances at that time obliged me to remove him; but I have
since done what I could myself towards continuing his education, and
he still works regularly of an evening."

"Why I ask, Mrs. Andrews, was that I should like in time to place him
in the counting-house. I say in time, because I think it will be
better for him for the next two or three years to continue to work in
the shops. I will have him moved from shop to shop so as to learn
thoroughly the various branches of the business. That is what I should
do had I a son of my own to bring into the business. It will make him
more valuable afterwards, and fit him to take a good position either
in my shops or in any similar business should an opening occur."

"I am greatly obliged to you, sir," Mrs. Andrews said gratefully;
"though I say it myself, a better boy never