Master Charles?"

"Because I am going out to work with you, Giles, if you will permit
me," answered Charles.

"Oh, Master Charles, such work as I do is not fit for a young
gentleman like you," said Giles.

"You must not call me a young gentleman _now_, for I am only a poor
boy, and poorer than other poor boys, for they can earn their own
living, while I should have been starved to death had not you given me
half of the bread you work so hard for. But I will not be a burthen to
you any longer, but learn to work and get my own living as you do."

Charles now meant to keep his word, and they both went out into the
fields, and worked together at picking stones off the young crops of
wheat and clover, and before breakfast. Giles had picked up two
bushels of stones and Charles one, and the farmer gave them a penny
per bushel for gathering them up.

Then they made haste back to the cottage, and Giles gave his mother
the money he had earned, and Charles did the same, and when the dame
poured out the milk for the family Charles saw that she filled a
porringer for him also, and they had all a good breakfast that
morning, and Charles felt quite happy because he had not eaten the
bread of idleness. So he went out to work with Giles again, and earned
twopence before dinner.

When Dame Bloomfield took up the dumplings Charles saw there was one
for him, and he felt happy that poor Giles had not to deprive himself
of half his food that he might eat.

Charles went out to work every day with Giles, and in the evening he
learned to read and write. He became quite good and gentle, and
enjoyed more happiness than he had experienced in his life before, And
why was Charles happy? I will tell you, my dear children. Because he
was no longer a proud, froward boy as he had been, but was kind and
sweet-tempered to every one, and did his duty both to God and himself.

The winter passed swiftly away, and the spring came, and the birds
began to sing, and the trees looked green and gay, and the pretty
flowers bloomed in the gardens and covered the meadows all over, and
scented the air with their fragrance, and Charles thought it very
pleasant to work in the fields, and hear the birds sing as they tended
their young, or built their nests among the green boughs or in the
hedges.

One day Giles said to Charles: "Master Charles, we cannot work
together in the fields any more; I have got a new employment"

"But why cannot I work with you?" as