"Is the Lord's child that came from heaven in an earthquake to be
turned out into the cold for fear the souls of big men should perish?"

"Something must be done about it!" said the farmer.

"What it's to be I can't tell! It's no business o' mine any way!"

"That's what the priest, and the Levite, and the farmer says!"
returned Sarah.

"Won't you ask Mr. Goodenough to stay to dinner?" said Clare.

He went up to the farmer, who in his perplexity had seated himself,
and laid his arm on his shoulder.

"No, I can't," answered Sarah. "He would eat all we have, and not have
enough!"

"Now Maly is gone," returned Clare, "I would rather not have any
dinner."

The farmer's old feeling for the boy, which the dread of having him
left on his hands had for the time dulled, came back.

"Get him his dinner, Sarah," he said. "I've something to see to in the
village. By the time I come back, he'll be ready to go with me,
perhaps."

"God bless you, sir!" cried Sarah. "You meant it all the time, an' I