words from Pin; for in her hurry that morning Laura had forgotten to put
on the clean linen Mother had laid beside the bed, and consequently had
now to strip to the skin.

The boys announced the coming of the coach with shrill cries, and
simultaneously the rumble of wheels was heard. Sarah came from the
kitchen drying her hands, and Pin began to cry.

"Now, shut up, res'vor!" said Sarah roughly: her own eyes were
moist. "You don't see Miss Laura be such a silly-billy. Anyone 'ud think
you was goin', not 'er."

The ramshackle old vehicle, one of Cobb's Royal Mail Coaches,
big-bodied, lumbering, scarlet, pulled by two stout horses, drew
up before the door, and the driver climbed down from his seat.

"Now good day to you, ma'am, good day, miss"--this to Sarah who,
picking up the box, handed it to him to be strapped on under the
apron. "Well, well, and so the little girl's goin' to school, is she? My,
but time flies! Well do I remember the day ma'am, when I drove you all
across for the first time. These children wasn't big enough then to git
up and down be thimselves. Now I warrant you they can--just look at
'em, will you?--But my! Ain't you ashamed of yourself"--he spoke to
Pin--"pipin' your eye like that? Why, you'll flood the road if you don't
hould on.--Yes, yes, ma'am, bless you, I'll look after her, and put her
inter the train wid me own han's. Don't you be oneasy. The Lord he cares
for the widder and the orphun, and if He don't, why Patrick O'Donnell
does."

This was O'Donnell's standing joke; he uttered it with a loud chuckle.