with this heavy pitcher, and my arms do so ache!" She rose and climbed the
steep brae. As she went she heard her mother's voice.

"Maggie! Maggie! there's no water for dinner, and the potatoes are quite
boiled. Where _is_ that child?"

They had begun dinner, before she came down from brushing her hair and
washing her hands. She was hurried and tired.

"Mother," said Ned, "mayn't I have some butter to these potatoes, as there
is cold meat? They are so dry."

"Certainly, my dear. Maggie, go and fetch a pat of butter out of the
dairy."

Maggie went from her untouched dinner without speaking.

"Here, stop, you child!" said Nancy, turning her back in the passage. "You
go to your dinner, I'll fetch the butter. You've been running about enough
to-day."

Maggie durst not go back without it, but she stood in the passage till
Nancy returned; and then she put up her mouth to be kissed by the kind
rough old servant.

"Thou'rt a sweet one," said Nancy to herself, as she turned into the
kitchen; and Maggie went back to her dinner with a soothed and lightened
heart.

When the meal was ended, she helped her mother to wash up the old-fashioned