girl."

At that moment Vince was standing with one foot upon a stool, so that
the knee of his trousers was within easy reach of his mother's busy
fingers, while the bright needle flashed in and out, and the long slit
was gradually being reduced in extent.

"Mind, mother! don't sew it to the skin," he said laughingly; and then,
bending down, he waited his opportunity, and softly kissed the glossy
hair close to his lips.

"I say, mother," he whispered, "don't have me sent away. Father doesn't
mean it, does he?"

"I don't think so, my dear; but he wants to see you try hard to grow
into a manly, sensible lad."

"Well, that's what I am trying to do."

Mrs Burnet took hold of her son's none too clean hand, turned it over,
and held up the knuckles, which seemed to have been cracked across, but
were nearly healed.

"Well, I couldn't help that, mother," protested the boy. "You wouldn't
have had me stand still and let young Carnach knock Mike Ladelle about
without helping him?"

"I don't like fighting, Vince," said Mrs Burnet, with a sigh; "it seems
to me brutal."

"Well, so it is, mother, when it's a big, strong fellow ill-using a
small one. But it can't be brutal for a little one to stick up for
himself and thrash the big coward, can it?"

"That is a question upon which I cannot pretend to decide, Vince. You
had better ask your father."

"Oh, no! I shan't say anything about it," replied the boy, giving his
short shock-brown hair a rub. "I don't like talking about it. Nearly
done?"

"Yes, I am fastening off the thread."

There was a snip given directly after by a pair of scissors; Vince gave
his leg a shake to send the trouser down in its place, and then stooped
and kissed the sweet, placid face so close to his.

"There," he cried; "don't you tell me I didn't pay you for mending the
tear."

"Ready, Vince?" said the Doctor, entering with the bottle neatly done up
in white paper.

"Yes, father."

"Mind, sir! don't break it."

"No, father: all right."

The next minute Vince was trotting sharply down the road towards the
rough moorland, which he had to partly traverse before turning down a
narrow track to the cliff edge, where, in a gap, half a dozen
fishermen's cottages were built, sheltered from the strong south-west
wind.

"You will not send him away, Robert?" said Mrs Burnet.

"Humph! Well, no," said the Doctor, wrinkling up his brow; "it would
seem so dull if he were gone."

CHAPTER