nto it. She was surprised sometimes to find that he
had carried notions away from school even when she had thought him only
dull and giddy. Then he was pleased to say over the hymns he had learnt
in the infant school, and to talk a little about it. Amy was quite
surprised to find how his mind had grown since he had been ill, and how
pleased he was to be taught a little verse of prayer to say when he was
in pain.

She made him quite comfortable, filled up his mug of water, which the
other children had upset, put some primroses in a cup where he could
look at them, wrote a copy on his slate, and ruled some lines, caught
the cat and put her before him, found the place in his easy story-book,
and left him with a kiss, promising to come again to-morrow.

It was very pleasant to be the bright spot in that poor little life; and
Amy that afternoon stitched into little Miss Hilda's tucks, to the whirr
of her machine, a whole pensive castle in the air about the dear little
fellow who was not long for this world, and whose pillow was cheered and
his soul trained for Paradise by his dear teacher, who came day by day
to lead him in the path to Heaven. The tears came into her eyes at the
thought of how beautiful and touching it would all be--how she would
lay a wreath of white roses on his coffin, and----

"What are you winking about, Amy? Go nearer the window if you want more
light," said Aunt Rose, in a brisk, business-like voice, not at all like
her dreams.

Amy was glad to move, feeling a little ashamed of being detected in
crying beforehand about her own good works; and as she approached the
window, she looked out over the lemon-plant and exclaimed--"There's Miss
Manners!"

Miss Manners was really coming into the shop, and her little Skye
terrier was already running on into the work-room, for he was great
friends with Amy; he sniffed about, sat up, and gave his paw, and let
her show off his tricks while his mistress was talking to Aunt
Charlotte.

Then she came on, nodded kindly a little greeting to each as they all
rose, and said that she had been thinking that it would be a good thing
for all the teachers to meet for half an hour before evensong on Fridays
and look over their Sunday work together, so as to make it chime
together. She said she found it was done at Ellerby, and was very
helpful to all; and perhaps, when he had time, Mr. Somers would come in
and help them. If they looked over the subjects beforehand, they