's ready, and it wouldn't ha' been ready;
for I had a lot o' apples there dryin', and a board full o' fresh
turnpikes was on the bed; _they_ was gettin' finished; and I had a
quilt in a corner that I had sot up on the sticks and it was a'most
done quiltin'; and all them things I had to fly round and get rid of;
and I've no time for anything now. So, dear, that room'll do for one of
ye, and the other--you can put the sheets on the bed, can't ye? for the
minister'll be playin' nurse till I come, and I wish I had Jack's
seven-mile boots to get to Briery Bank with."

While this talk was going on, Miss Redwood had brought Matilda
up-stairs, and was taking out linen and coverlets from a press in one
of the rooms. Matilda said she could manage everything, with Norton's
help.

"Then I'll go," said Miss Redwood. "But if I shouldn't be able fur to
run away in the morning and see to the breakfast!----"

She stopped, thinking.

"Dear Miss Redwood, won't you trust me to do it? I think I can."

"What sort of a breakfast will it be?" said the housekeeper,
meditatively.

"I'll _try_ to have it right."

"La, yes, if it depended on your tryin'," said the housekeeper; "your
will is as good as gold; but _will_ won't cook a beefsteak."

"I'll try," said Matilda again.

"Well," said Miss Redwood, "we must walk till we get out o' the woods,
and then we'll run. The minister ain't accustomed to have his steak any
way, but as he likes it; maybe it'll do him no harm. Everything's down
cellar, Matilda, 'cept the things in the kitchen pantry; and you'll
find out which is which. And I'll go."

So she did. And as the door closed after her, the two children in the
hall looked at each other.

"Nobody in the house?" said Norton.

"Nobody but ourselves."

"That's jolly," said Norton. "Pink, I have got that catalogue in my
pocket; let us sit down somewhere and make out a list of those
hyacinths."

"O Norton!--Yes, I will in a little while. I must go get the table
ready for tea; and I had better do it now before Mr. Richmond comes
home."

"You and I seem to have a great deal of getting tea to do," said
Norton, as he followed Matilda into the little dining-room. "What do
you want _me_ to do?"

"O Norton! if you would just look and see if the tea-kettle is on, and
if not, put it on. Will you?"

"Where, Pink?"

"Just open that door. There is the kitchen."

"I remember," said Norton. "No, the kettle isn't on. Here goes."

There was