a public school. Come in, little one, whilst I run
over to your master and ask leave for you to stay a little with my
mistress.'

"Hannah soon returned with the master's leave, and poor little Marten
went gladly upstairs into Mrs. Lovel's parlour. There Mrs. Lovel took
off his wet shoes and damp stockings, and hung them to the fire, while
she rubbed his little numbed feet till they were warm. In the meantime
Hannah brought up the tea-things and toast-and-butter, and set all
things in order upon the round table.

"'You are very good,' said little Marten to Mrs. Lovel; 'I will come
and see you every day.'

"'You shall come as often as you please,' said Mrs. Lovel, 'if you are
a good little boy.'

"'Then I will come at breakfast-time, and at dinner-time, and at
supper-time,' said Marten.

"Mrs. Lovel smiled and looked at Hannah, who was bringing up the
cream-pot, followed by the cat. Puss took her place very gravely at one
corner of the table, without touching anything.

"'Is that your cat, ma'am?' said Marten.

"'Yes,' said Mrs. Lovel; 'and see how well she behaves: she never asks
for anything, but waits till she is served. Do you think you can behave
as well?'

"'I will try, ma'am,' said Marten.

"Mrs. Lovel then bade Marten fetch himself a chair, and they both sat
down to breakfast. Marten behaved so well at breakfast that Mrs. Lovel
invited him to come to her at dinner-time, and said she would send
Hannah to his master for leave. She then put on his dry shoes and
stockings; and as the bell rang, she sent him over to school. When
school broke up at twelve o'clock, she sent Hannah again for him; and
he came running upstairs, full of joy.

"'This is a half-holiday, ma'am,' he said, 'and I may stay with you
till bed-time: and I will come again to breakfast in the morning.'

"'Very well,' said Mrs. Lovel; 'but if you come here so often you must
do everything I bid you, and everything which Hannah bids you.'

"'The same as I did to my poor mother, and to Susan?' said Marten.

"'Yes, my dear,' said Mrs. Lovel.

"'Then I will, ma'am,' said Marten.

"So Marten sat down to dinner with Mrs. Lovel; and at dinner he told
her all he knew of himself and his mother; and after dinner, when she
gave him leave, he went down to the kitchen to visit Hannah, and to
talk to the parrot, and to look about him till tea-time. At tea-time he
came up again; and after tea Mrs. Lovel brought out a large Bible full
of pictures, an