more for teaching the little Thornes. But when I hinted this to Uncle
Geoffrey, he said quietly that they were rich people and could well
afford it.

"Don't rate yourself so low, little woman," he added, good-humoredly;
"you are giving plenty of time and interest, and surely that is
worth something." And then he went on to say that Jack must go to
school, he knew a very good one just by; some ladies who were
patients of his would take her at easy terms, he knew. He would call
that very afternoon and speak to Miss Martin.

Poor mother shed a few tears when I told her our plans. It was sad
for her to see her girls reduced to work for themselves; but she
cheered up after a little while, and begged me not to think her
ungrateful and foolish. "For we have so many blessings, Esther," she
went on, in her patient way. "We are all together, except poor Fred,
and but for your uncle's goodness we might have been separated."

"And we shall have such nice cozy evenings," I returned, "when the
day's work is over. I shall feel like a day laborer, mother, bringing
home my wages in my pocket. I shall be thinking of you and Dot all
day, and longing to get back to you."

But though I spoke and felt so cheerfully, I knew that the evenings
would not be idle. There would be mending to do and linen to make,
for we could not afford to buy our things ready-made; but, with
mother's clever fingers and Carrie's help, I thought we should do
very well. I must utilize every spare minute, I thought. I must get
up early and help Deborah, so that things might go on smoothly for
the rest of the day. There was Dot to dress, and mother was ailing,