leave these Culm children to their parents' ignorance.

"I warn ye! I--" The old crone was about to continue her forebodings;
but Dirk interposed with a gruff, "Hush ye, hush ye, Mother Deb! ye
be doin' the lad wrong. D'ye think he be one to teach our young uns
wrong, eh? Be it evil, think ye? W'u'd he be doin' us a bad turn who's
mendin' the housen an' makin' us comf'table? I'd like ye ter show't,
mother, ef it be!"

"Ay," said Hark Darby, "an' ef he ken do us evil, who ha' been so good
an' kind in the sickness, we w'u'd like ye ter show't, Mother Deb!"

The old woman said no more, but went muttering homeward, not all
convinced that Noll was not teaching the children some evil,
mysterious art.

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE WORK FINISHED.

The days went by,--busy enough for Noll with lessons and the afternoon
lesson at Culm,--and John Sampson's labors began to draw to a close.
The carpenter had worked steadily and faithfully, and the result was a
gratifying one to more than one person. True, the houses were not
models of elegance; that was not needed; and they _did_ look somewhat
patchy, with here and there a fresh new board over the old
weather-beaten gray of the dwelling, and new doors staring blank and
yellow out of the dinginess of their surroundings; but, if they were
not handsome, they were thoroughly repaired and now stood warmer and
more comfortable than any of the present generation of Culm people had
ever known them.

If they could only have a coat of paint or whitewash to make them look
fresh and cheerful, what an improvement it would be! Noll thought. How
the sun would gleam upon them with his last ruddy rays as he sank into
the sea! How fair and pleasant they would look from the sea, when the
coast first came upon the mariner's vision! It would be one bright
spot against the black background of the Rock,--those twelve
houses,--if only they might have a coat of fresh white paint. But
after counting his stock of money, this desire was obliged to remain
ungratified; for there was the carpenter's bill, which would shortly
be due, and must be paid upon the completion of the work.

"The houses must wait till--till another year," Noll thought, with
something like a sigh; "they can wait, after all, for the painting
isn't really necessary, though it would improve them wonderfully! And
I'm thankful enough that I can pay the carpenter. Oh, but I wonder if
Ned ever regrets his denial, and longs fo