thorough welcome as soon as she saw me. 'Now this is kind--this
is right down friendly,' shaking my hand warmly. 'Phillis, your cousin
Manning is come!'

'Call me Paul, will you?' said I; 'they call me so at home, and Manning
in the office.'

'Well, Paul, then. Your room is all ready for you, Paul, for, as I said
to the minister, "I'll have it ready whether he comes on Friday or
not." And the minister said he must go up to the Ashfield whether you
were to come or not; but he would come home betimes to see if you were
here. I'll show you to your room, and you can wash the dust off a bit.'

After I came down, I think she did not quite know what to do with me;
or she might think that I was dull; or she might have work to do in
which I hindered her; for she called Phillis, and bade her put on her
bonnet, and go with me to the Ashfield, and find father. So we set off,
I in a little flutter of a desire to make myself agreeable, but wishing
that my companion were not quite so tall; for she was above me in
height. While I was wondering how to begin our conversation, she took
up the words.

'I suppose, cousin Paul, you have to be very busy at your work all day
long in general.'

'Yes, we have to be in the office at half-past eight; and we have an
hour for dinner, and then we go at it again till eight or nine.'

'Then you have not much time for reading.'

'No,' said I, with a sudden consciousness that I did not make the most
of what leisure I had.

'No more have I. Father always gets an hour before going a-field in the
mornings, but mother does not like me to get up so early.'

'My mother is always wanting me to get up earlier when I am at home.'

'What time do you get up?'

'Oh!--ah!--sometimes half-past six: not often though;' for I remembered
only twice that I had done so during the past summer.

She turned her head and looked at me.

'Father is up at three; and so was mother till she was ill. I should
like to be up at four.'

'Your father up at three! Why, what has he to do at that hour?'

'What has he not to do? He has his private exercise in his own room; he
always rings the great bell which calls the men to milking; he rouses
up Betty, our maid; as often as not he gives the horses their feed
before the man is up--for Jem, who takes care of the horses, is an old
man; and father is always loth to disturb him; he looks at the calves,
and the shoulders, heels, traces, chaff, and corn before the horses go
a-f