how he could spare any of his porridge, as she supposed that, now his
father was sick, he got nothing else to eat all day. "Oh," said he, "it is
but little she eats; and though, to be sure, I am sometimes very hungry,
and could eat it all myself. I keep thinking how happy I shall be if I can
have some pretty chickens to give my mammy to lay eggs; for, then, you
know she can sell them up at the hall, next August, when the English
gentry come. The English," continued he, looking up at Helen with a very
grave face, "must be very fond of eggs; for do you know they gave my mammy
a whole white shilling for a dozen last year." Helen thought as Tom did,
that the English must indeed be fond of eggs, if they gave so much money
for them. She had never seen her mother give more than fourpence or
fivepence a dozen; and she thought she would ask, when she got home,
whether it could really be as Tom said.

Whilst they were looking at the chickens, the dog, that had been lying at
the door, rose leisurely, shook himself, and walked after them. He stood
close by Helen, wagging his tail and looking pleased; but when she stooped
down to take one of the chickens in her hand, he began to growl at a
terrible rate. "Down, Colly, down!" said Tom; "he won't bit you, Miss, for
he is the best natured creature in the world; he is only afraid you may
hurt the chicken. We always liked Colly very much, but now more than ever;
for it was he, poor fellow, that came and told mammy that daddy had fallen
down." "Stop, Tom," cried Helen, "take care what you say. How could a dog
_tell_ any body what had happened to your father? Do you know what a
naughty thing it is to fib?" "Yes, I do know very well, Miss, that it is
wicked to tell fibs;" answered Tom, stoutly, "but mammy can assure you,
that what I am saying is true." "Yes, indeed," said his mother, "Tom
speaks the truth; though perhaps he should not have used exactly the word
_told_, for the dog certainly did not speak, he only barked. If you
please, I will tell you what he did; and then I think you will believe