if it's like the beef-tea nurse makes for
me when I'm ill."

"It's not that kind of slops, darling, but ready-made clothing to which
reference is made. But you are right. Let us hear about it, Miss
Hetty."

The idea of "Miss" being applied to Hetty, and slops compared to
beef-tea proved almost too much for the broken-legged boy in the corner,
but he put strong constraint on himself and listened.

"Indeed, sir, I do not complain," said Hetty, quite distressed at being
thus forcibly dragged into notice. "I am thankful for what has been
sent--indeed I am--only it _was_ a great disappointment, particularly at
this time, when we so much needed all we could make amongst us."

She stopped and had difficulty in restraining tears. "Go on, Hetty,"
said her mother, "and don't be afraid. Bless you, he's not goin' to
report what you say."

"I know that, mother. Well, sir, this was the way on it. They
sometimes--"

"Excuse me--who are `they'?"

"I beg pardon, sir, I--I'd rather not tell."

"Very well. I respect your feelings, my girl. Some slop-making firm, I
suppose. Go on."

"Yes, sir. Well--they sometimes gives me extra work to do at home. It
do come pretty hard on me after goin' through the regular day's work,
from early mornin' till night, but then, you see, it brings in a little
more money--and, I'm strong, thank God."

Sir Richard looked at Hetty's thin and colourless though pretty face,
and thought it possible that she might be stronger with advantage.

"Of late," continued the girl, "I've bin havin' extra work in this way,
and last week I got twelve children's ulsters to make up. This job when
finished would bring me six and sixpence."

"How much?"

"Six and sixpence, sir."

"For the whole twelve?" asked Sir Richard.

"Yes, sir--that was sixpence halfpenny for makin' up each ulster. It's
not much, sir."

"No," murmured Wealth in an absent manner; "sixpence halfpenny is _not_
much."

"But when I took them back," continued Hetty--and here the tears became
again obstreperous and difficult to restrain--"the master said he'd
forgot to tell me that this order was for the colonies, that he had
taken it at a very low price, and that he could only give me three
shillin's for the job. Of--of course three shillin's is better the
nothin', but after workin' hard for such a long long time an' expectin'
six, it was--"

Here the tears refused to be pent up any longer, and the poor girl
quietly bendin