I be put t'help father in the mill? Do 'ee ask un to let me come in
now! I be able to sweep 's well as Gearge. I sweeps the room for
thee,"--she had not the heart or the courage to say, "I want thee,
and thy father doesn't," but she would take the boy's hand tenderly
in hers, and making believe to examine his thumbs with a purpose,
would reply, "Wait a bit, love. Thee's a sprack boy, and a good un,
but thee's not rightly got the miller's thumb."

And thus it came about that Abel was for ever sifting bits of flour
through his finger and thumb, to obtain the required flatness and
delicacy which marks the latter in a miller born; and playing
lovingly with little Jan on the floor of the round-house, he would
pass some through the baby's fingers also, crying, -

"Sift un, Janny! sift un! Thee's a miller's lad, and thee must have
a miller's thumb."



CHAPTER IV.

BLACK AS SLANS.--VAIR AND VOOLISH.--THE MILLER AND HIS MAN.

It was a great and important time to Abel when Jan learned to walk;
but, as he was neither precocious nor behindhand in this respect,
his biographer may be pardoned for not dwelling on it at any length.

He had a charming demure little face, chiefly differing from the
faces of the other children of the district by an overwhelming
superiority in the matter of forehead.