And thus it was that Nikolai came to blockmaker Holman's.




CHAPTER II

A STRICT DISCIPLINARIAN


It is in some ways a blessing that those who have suffered hardship and
been neglected in their babyhood, do not remember anything about it--and
yet perhaps something clings to them.

So, at any rate, Mrs. Holman declared. From the very first day the boy
came into the house, she could see he had been brought up in a thieves'
nest. His eyes were so wise and watchful, and he could be so craftily
cunning and refractory, long before he could speak. She declared that he
was positively malicious, so drowsy and quiet as he would be until she
had just fallen asleep, when he would begin to shout as loud as a
watchman.

But every one who knew anything about the Holmans, said that if they had
not been fortunate in getting the boy, he had at any rate been fortunate
in having found his way to them. There were not two opinions as to what
an orderly woman Mrs. Holman was, and how strict in the fulfilment of
her duty. Tall, thin and neat in her person, even her small,
liver-coloured face, with the pale blue expressionless eyes, told you at
once that she was not the woman to allow herself to be carried away by