with Robin. And the baby
shook its pretty curls, and sat straight up, looking about it quite
bright and cheery-like, and then it made signs that it was hungry, and
Robin took the piece of bread waiting for him on the table, and give the
biggest half to the little creature, who ate it eagerly. His two next
brothers stood staring at her--the little sisters were in bed and
asleep, his mother told him. They were so hungry, she said, 'twas the
best place for them.

'"And how we're to get food for to-morrow, heaven only knows," she went
on. "I've not a penny left, and if this wind brings the snow there'll be
no getting across the moor even to beg a loaf for charity," and her
tears fell fast.

'Robin felt half wild. Hungry as he was he couldn't bear to think of the
little ones in bed without a proper meal, and he was half angry when he
heard his little brothers give a shout of laughter.

'"Be quiet, can't you?" he was going to say. But what he saw made him
stop short. There was the little stranger, as grave as a judge, taking
turn about with the two boys at the crust of bread, and they were
laughing with pleasure at her feeding them, and calling out that the
bread had honey on it.

"They must be hungry to think that," said the mother; "but the little
one has a kind heart, and maybe she's not very hungry herself, though
she's so poorly clad," and both she and Robin felt happier to see how
pleased the boys were.

'The good woman undressed the little child and put her to bed with her
own, and with no supper but his half crust, Robin fell asleep that
night, feeling, all the same, cheerier than might have been.

'"I'll be up betimes, mother," were his last words, "whatever the
weather is. I must make sure of some food for you and the children
before I go to work."

'He woke early the next morning, earlier than usual, tired though he
was, and the moon was shining so brightly in at the little window that
at first he thought it was daylight. And when he looked round the
kitchen, for he slept in a corner of it, he could scarce believe it
wasn't, for it was all tidied up, the fire burning beautiful, and
everything spick and span as his mother loved to have it. "Poor mother,"
thought Robin, "why has she got up so early? and how sound I must have
been sleeping not to hear her!"

'He called out to her, but there was no answer, and when he got up and
peeped into the inner room, why! there they were all fast asleep, and as
he turn