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washing to-day while it’s fine; but if not, it doesn’t matter till father goes up the river.’

‘That’s all right, Lena,’ Robert said. Then a thought struck him. ‘What do you all do when your mother washes the clothes?’ he asked.

The girl blushed furiously and backed out of the house. ‘That’s our business,’ she retorted.

Robert seemed staggered at the result of his simple question and hastened to restore amicable relations by a gift of fish from his bundle. ‘They’re just out of the river,’ he said; ‘and here’s the soap and tea, and I didn’t mean to offend you.’

Lena, with downcast eyes, allowed herself to be burdened with the fish and other articles.

‘You are sure you don’t want any sugar or anything,’ Robert asked anxiously, ‘till—till your father comes back?’

‘No, thank you,’ said Lena.

Robert thought he detected a suspicion of a smile at the corner of the girl’s mouth and became more cheerful. ‘I haven’t seen you going to school for the last week or two,’ he said.

‘I haven’t been going,’ replied Lena, looking up. ‘I’ve left school—I’ve passed the sixth standard.’

Robert looked impressed, as he was intended to be. ‘I suppose you’ve read Green’s Short? he asked tentatively.

Green’s Short History of the English People was one of the volumes unearthed from the box of books, and Robert was already deep in the perusal of it. He spoke of it as Green’s Short, not that he had any idea that there was a Green’s Long, but to suggest lifelong familiarity with the work.

‘No,’ said Lena, puzzled.