ould leave him more comfortably. The eldest boy, Tom, a big, strapping
lad of fourteen, who went to work, had promised to keep the other boys
quiet, 'that the little chap might not be disturbed,' and as Robin again
declared that he felt first-rate, if it weren't for his arm, I hoped that
he might be able to sleep.

'Father stopped with me ever so long, until the boys came to bed,' were
Robin's first words the next morning; 'and doctor came, and said we
looked quite snug, and he is going to send father some books to read, and
some papers, and father said he was more comfortable than downstairs, as
I did not mind his pipe, and Tom has hung my linnet there,' pointing to
the window, 'and if you open the cage, miss, you will see him hop all
over the bedclothes, and chirp in the beautifullest way.'

We had a great deal of cleaning to do that day. I shall never forget Lady
Betty's face when she came upstairs and saw me down on my knees at work
in my corner of the room; for Sally was little, and the room was large,
and I was obliged to go to her assistance.

'Good gracious, Miss Garston!' she said, in quite a shocked voice, 'you
do not mean to tell me that you consider it your duty to scrub floors?'

'Well, no,' I returned, laughing, for really her consternation was
ludicrous, 'I should consider it a waste of strength, generally; but
we never know what comes in a day's work. Sally is so little that I am
obliged to help her.'

'Why can't Mrs. Bell do it?' asked Lady Betty indignantly.

'Mrs. Bell has hardly time to cook the children's dinner. Please don't
look so shocked. I don't often scrub floors, and I have nearly finished
now. What have you brought in that basket, little Red Riding-Hood?' for
in her little crimson hood-like bonnet she did not look so unlike Red
Riding-Hood.

'Oh, Giles asked Gladys to send some things for poor little Robin, and
she packed them herself. There is a jar of beef-tea, and some jelly, and
some new-laid eggs, and sponge-cakes, and a roll or two; and Gladys hopes
you will let her know what Robin wants, for he used to be her little
scholar, and she is so interested in him.'

Of course I knew Lady Betty would chatter about me when she returned
home, but I was rather vexed when Mr. Hamilton took me to task the next
morning and gave me quite a lecture on the subject; he made me promise at
last that I would never do anything of the kind again. I hardly know what
made me so submissive. I think it