ing, p'raps I shan't do mischief."

Lucy laughed. "Poor old Paddy," she cried. "Why, you couldn't live and
not do anything. Every minute of your life you are doing something, and
when you are doing what you call 'nothing' you will be doing mischief,
if it's only in setting a bad example. And you can work splendidly if you
like, Mona, and you _do_ like, I know. I shan't forget for a long while
how nice you'd got everything by the time I came home last night, and how
early you got up this morning."

Mona's face brightened.

"You've got to learn to think, that's all, dear; and to remember to finish
off one thing before you leave it to go to another. It's just the want of
that that lies at the root of most of your trouble."

A sound of many feet hurrying along the street and of shouting voices made
Lucy break off suddenly, and sent them both running to the gate.

"Boats are in sight, missis. Fine catch!" called one and another as they
hurried along.

Lucy and Mona looked at each other with glad relief in their eyes.
There had been no real cause for anxiety because the little fishing fleet
had not been home at dawn, yet now they knew that they had been a little
bit anxious, Lucy especially, and their pleasure was all the greater.
For a moment Mona, in her excitement, was for following the rest to the
quay where the fish would be landed. It was so exciting, such fun, to be
in all the bustle of the unloading, and the selling--and to know that for
a time, at any rate, money would not be scarce, and rent and food and
firing would be secure.

Mona loved nothing better than such mornings as this--but her first step
was her last. "I won't remember 'too late' this time," she said to
herself determinedly, and turning, she made her way quickly into the
house. There would be more than enough to do to get ready. There would
be hot water, dry clothes, and a hot breakfast to get for the tired, cold,
famished father.

"Now you sit down, mother, and stoke the fire, I'll see to the rest," and
for the next hour she flew around, doing one thing after another, and as
deftly as a woman. She was so busy and so happy she forgot all about the
beach and the busy scene there, the excitement, and the fun.

But before Lucy did any 'stoking' she went out with a rake and smoothed
over the rough earth of the empty wallflower bed. "If it's looking tidy,
perhaps he won't notice anything's wrong when he first comes home,"
she thought.