ned briskly. "Boats are in sight, Mrs. Carne! and all's well!" cried a
voice cheerfully, and old Job Maunders popped his grizzled head round the
screen. "I thought you might be troubling, ma'am, so I just popped 'fore
to tell 'ee. I'm off down to see if I can lend a hand."

And before Lucy could thank him, the kindly old man was hurrying away
through the garden and down the street.

But what changed feelings he had left behind him! Tired though she was,
Lucy was on her feet in a moment and her face radiant. "Come, dear, we've
got to bustle round now for a bit. You run and get some sticks and make a
good fire, and I'll get out his clean, dry things. Then while I'm cooking
the supper you can be laying the cloth."

While she spoke she was gathering up a lot of parcels which were lying
scattered over the table.

"I'm longing to show you what I've bought."

"Yes," thought Mona, "and I am longing to see!"

"I wonder if you'll like what I've chosen for you."

"I wonder, too!" thought Mona.

"We'll have a good look at everything when we've had supper. Then we
needn't be hurrying and scurrying all the time, and there'll be more
room."

In spite of the upset to her feelings, Mona was interested, but all real
pleasure was gone. She knew that probably there was something for her in
one of the fat parcels, but the thought of taking any more kindness from
Lucy, to whom she had behaved so badly, was painful. She wanted, instead,
to make amends to replace the lost five shillings. She longed to have the
money to pay back, but she had not one penny! All she could do was to
work, and to go without things she wanted. She could do the first better
than the last, and she would rather. She did not really mind working,
but she did mind denying herself things she had set her heart on.
"But I will, I will," she thought to herself while the shock of the theft
was still on her.

Before very long the fire was burning brightly, the kettle was beginning
to sing, and Lucy was cooking the sausages and bacon she had brought back
with her from Baymouth. The savoury smell of them wafted through the
kitchen and reached the hungry, weary man trudging heavily up the garden.
Then Mona caught the sound of his coming, and rushed out, while Lucy stood
behind her with radiant face and glowing eyes.

"You must be chilled to the bone, and dead beat," she cried. "Ain't you,
father?"

"I thought I was--but I ain't now. It's worth everyt