pair of very large socks. The
juvenile policeman, and the incorrigible criminal were sound asleep in
their respective cribs, the one under the print of the Queen, the other
under that of Sir Robert Peel. Giles was studying a small book of
instructions as to the duties of police-constables, and pretty Molly was
commenting on the same, for she possessed that charming quality of mind
and heart which induces the possessor to take a sympathetic and lively
interest in whatever may happen to be going on.

"They expect pretty hard work of you, Giles," remarked Molly with a
sigh, as she thought of the prolonged hours of absence from home, and
the frequent night duty.

"Why, Moll, you wouldn't have me wish for easy work at my time of life,
would you?" replied the policeman, looking up from his little book with
an amused smile. "Somebody must always be taking a heavy lift of the
hard work of this world, and if a big hulking fellow like me in the
prime o' life don't do it, who will?"

"True, Giles, but surely you won't deny me the small privilege of
wishing that you had a _little_ less to do, and a _little_ more time
with your family. You men,--especially you Scotchmen--are such an
argumentative set, that a poor woman can't open her lips to say a word,
but you pounce upon it and make an argument of it."

"Now Molly, there you go again, assuming my duties! Why do you take me
so sharp? Isn't taking-up the special privilege of the police?"

"Am I not entitled," said Molly, ignoring her husband's question, "to
express regret that your work should include coming home now and then
with scratched cheeks, and swelled noses, and black eyes?"

"Come now," returned Giles, "you must admit that I have fewer of these
discomforts than most men of the force, owing, no doubt, to little men
being unable to reach so high--and, d'you know, it's the little men who
do most damage in life; they're such a pugnacious and perverse
generation! As to swelled noses, these are the fortune of war, at least
of civil war like ours--and black eyes, why, my eyes are black by
nature. If they were of a heavenly blue like yours, Molly, you might
have some ground for complaint when they are blackened."

"And then there is such dreadful tear and wear of clothes," continued
Molly; "just look at that, now!" She held up to view a sock with a hole
in its heel large enough to let an orange through.

"Why, Molly, do you expect that I can walk the streets of Lo