"Bless my soul! How hungry you must be!" said the good woman, as she
bustled about to get a plate of butter and a knife.

She must have been convinced of it by the rapid manner in which the
slices of bread and butter disappeared.

At one o'clock the sexton came home. Dinner was laid, and Paul partook
of it with an appetite little affected by his lunch of the morning. As
he rose from the table, he took his cap, and saying, "Good-by, I thank
you very much for your kindness!" he was about to depart.

"Where are you going?" asked the sexton, in surprise.

"I don't know," answered Paul.

"Stop a minute. Hester, I want to speak to you."

They went into the sitting-room together.

"This boy, Hester," he commenced with hesitation.

"Well, Hugh?"

"He has no home."

"It is a hard lot."

"Do you think we should be the worse off if we offered to share our home
with him?"