e o' me an' Dr McTougall fetchin' you
nice things if you won't eat 'em?"

"But I _will_ eat 'em, Robin, thankfully."

"That ain't the way, old 'ooman," returned the boy, helping himself
largely to the viands which he so freely dispensed; "it's not
thankfully, but heartily, you ought to eat 'em."

"Both, Robin, both."

"Not at all, granny. We asked a blessin' fust, now, didn't we? Vell,
then, wot we've to do next is to go in and win heartily. Arter that
it's time enough to be thankful."

"What a boy it is!" responded Mrs Willis.

I saw the withered old hand disappear with a muffin in it in the
direction of the old mouth, and at this point I entered.

"The wery man I wanted to see," exclaimed Slidder, jumping up with what
I thought unusual animation, even for him.

"Come along, doctor, just in time for grub. Mrs W hain't eat up all
the muffins yet. Fresh cup an' saucer; clean plate; ditto knife; no
need for a fork; now then, sit down."

Accepting this hearty invitation, I was soon busy with a muffin, while
Mrs Willis gave a slow, elaborate, and graphic account of the sayings
and doings of Master Slidder, which account, I need hardly say, was much
in his favour, and I am bound to add that he listened to it with pleased
solemnity.

"Now then, old flatterer, w'en you've quite done, p'raps you'll tell the
doctor that I wants a veek's leave of absence, an' then, p'raps you'll
listen to what him an' me's got to say on that p'int. Just keep a
stuffin' of yourself with muffins, an' don't speak."

The old lady nodded pleasantly, and began to eat with apparently renewed
appetite, while I turned in some surprise.

"A week's leave of absence?" said I.

"Just so--a veek's leave of absence--furlow if you prefers to call it
so. The truth is, I wants a 'oliday wery bad. Granny says so, an' I
thinks she's right. D'you think my constitootion's made o' brass, or
cast-iron, or bell-metal, that I should be able to york on an' on for
ever, black, black, blackin' boots an' shoes, without a 'oliday? W'y,
lawyers, merchants, bankers--even doctors--needs a 'oliday now an' then;
'ow much more shoeblacks!"

"Well," said I, with a laugh, "there is no reason why shoeblacks should
not require and desire a holiday as much as other people, only it's
unusual--because they cannot afford it, I suppose."

"Ah! `that's just w'ere the shoe pinches'--as a old gen'leman shouted to
me t'other day, with a whack of his umbreller, w'en I