her lap and sat rocking him.

"Ts--ts--ts," she said. "He's cutting his eye teeth, that's what makes
him cry so. AND dribble--I never seen a baby dribble like this one." She
wiped his mouth and nose with a corner of her skirt. "Some babies get
their teeth without you knowing it," she went on, "and some take on this
way all the time. I once heard of a baby that died, and they found all
it's teeth in its stomach."

The Man got up, unhooked his cloak from the back of the door, and flung
it round him.

"There's another coming," said he.

"What--a tooth!" exclaimed the Child, startled for the first time that
morning out of her dreadful heaviness, and thrusting her finger into the
baby's mouth.

"No," he said grimly, "another baby. Now, get on with your work; it's
time the others got up for school." She stood a moment quite silently,
hearing his heavy steps on the stone passage, then the gravel walk, and
finally the slam of the front gate.

"Another baby! Hasn't she finished having them YET?" thought the
Child. "Two babies getting eye teeth--two babies to get up for in the
night--two babies to carry about and wash their little piggy clothes!"
She looked with horror at the one in her arms, who, seeming to
understand the contemptuous loathing of her tired glance, doubled his
fists, stiffened his body, and began violently screaming.

"Ts--ts--ts." She laid him on the settle and went back to her
floor-washing. He never ceased crying for a moment, but she got quite
used to it and kept time with her broom. Oh, how tired she was! Oh, the
heavy broom handle and the burning spot just at the back of her neck
that ached so, and a funny little fluttering feeling just at the back of
her waistband, as though something were going to break.

The clock struck six. She set the pan of milk in the oven, and went into
the next room to wake and dress the three children. Anton and Hans lay
together in attitudes of mutual amity which certainly never existed out
of their sleeping hours. Lena was curled up, her knees under her chin,
only a straight, standing-up pigtail of hair showing above the bolster.

"Get up," cried the Child, speaking in a voice of immense authority,
pulling off the bedclothes and giving the boys sundry pokes and digs.
"I've been calling you this last half-hour. It's late, and I'll tell on
you if you don't get dressed this minute."

Anton awoke sufficiently to turn over and kick Hans on a tender part,
whereupon Hans p