very clean," Seth replied
modestly, but secretly delighted with the unequivocal praise. "If the
oil and smut is taken off it'll be easier to put things into shape."

"You're doin' wonderfully, my boy, an' when I tell Hannah Morse,
she'll be pleased, 'cause a speck of dirt anywhere about the house
does fret her mortally bad."

Seth did not venture to look up lest Mrs. Dean should see the joy in
his eyes, for to his mind the good woman could do him no greater
service than give the invalid an account of his desire to be useful in
the household.

"Is Aunt Hannah burned very much?" he asked, as the nurse set about
making herself a cup of tea.

"I allow it'll be a full month before she gets around again. At first
I was afraid she'd broken some bones; but Mrs. Stubbs declares it's
only a bad sprain. It seems that she had a headache, an' came for the
camphor bottle, when she slipped an' fell against the table. The
wonder to me is that this house wasn't burned to the ground."

Then Mrs. Dean questioned Seth as to himself, and his reasons for
coming into the country in search of work; but the boy did not
consider it necessary to give any more information than pleased him,
although the good woman was most searching in her inquiries.

Then Gladys entered the kitchen, and the two children made
preparations for breakfast, after Seth had brought to an end his
self-imposed task of washing the floor.

Mr. Dean came over to milk White-Face, and Seth insisted that he be
allowed to try his hand at the work, claiming that if Aunt Hannah was
to be a helpless invalid during a full month, as Mrs. Dean had
predicted, it was absolutely necessary he be able to care for the
cow.

The old adage that "a willing pupil is an apt one" was verified in
this case, for the lad succeeded so well in his efforts that Mr. Dean
declared it would not be necessary for him to come to the Morse farm
again, so far as caring for the cow was concerned.

Very proud was Seth when he brought the pail of foaming milk into the
kitchen with the announcement that he had done nearly all the work,
and Gladys ran to tell Aunt Hannah what she considered exceedingly
good news.

During the next two days either Mrs. Dean or Mrs. Stubbs ruled over
the Morse household by virtue of their supposed rights as nurses, and
in all this time Seth had not been allowed to see the invalid.

Gladys visited the foreroom from time to time, reporting that Aunt
Hannah was "doing as we