"Please," she said earnestly, "that good dinner that smells so
delicious may be very dear. We little children and our dog we have
got to be most desperate careful, please, Mrs. Moseley, ma'am. We
can't eat that nice dinner if 'tis dear."

"But s'pose 'tis cheap," said Mrs. Moseley; "s'pose 'tis as cheap as
dirt? Come, my love, this dinner shan't cost you nothink; come and
eat. Don't you see that the poor little man there is fit to cry?"

"And nothink could be cheaper than dirt," said Maurice, cheering up.
"I'm so glad as this beautiful, delicious dinner is as cheap as dirt."

"Now we'll say grace," said Mrs. Moseley.

She folded her hands and looked up.

"Lord Jesus, bless this food to me and to Thy little ones, and use
us all to Thy glory."

Her eyes were shut while she was speaking; when she opened them she
felt almost startled by the look Cecile had given her. A look of
wonder, of question, of appeal.

"You want to ask me some'ut, dear?" she said gently to the child.

"Oh, yes! oh, yes!"

"Well, I'm very busy now, and I'll be busy all the afternoon. But we
has tea at six, and arter tea my man 'ull play wid Maurice, and you
shall sit at my knee and ask me what you like."