of you, who aren't used to us, would be frightened. Then, if you
went, the people would be taking you into one public-house, and then
into another, till you'd maybe get drunk yourself, and that wouldn't
be a nice thing for a gentleman. Stay where you are in this island
and you'll be safest so.'

When the son got up later and began going in and out of the kitchen,
some of the neighbours, who had already come in, stared at me with
curiosity as I lay in my bed; then I got up myself and went into
the kitchen. The little hostess set about getting my breakfast, but
before it was ready she partly rinsed the dough out of a pan where
she had been kneading bread, poured some water into it, and put it
on a chair near the door. Then she hunted about the edges of the
rafters till she found a piece of soap, which she put on the back of
a chair with the towel, and told me I might wash my face. I did so
as well as I was able, in the middle of the people, and dried myself
with the towel, which was the one used by the whole family.

The morning looked as if it would turn to rain and wind, so I took
the advice I had been given and let the canoes go off without me to
the sports. After a turn on the cliffs I came back to the house to
write letters. The little hostess was washing up the breakfast
things when I arrived with my papers and pens, but she made room for
me at the table, and spread out an old newspaper for me to write on.
A little later, when she had finished her washing, she came over to
her usual place in the chimney corner, not far from where I was
sitting, sat _down _on the floor, and took out her hairpins and
began combing her hair. As I finished each letter I had to say who
it was to, and where the people lived; and then I had to tell her if
they were married or single, how many children they had, and make a