e; but
keep your eyes on the children, and see that they don't get into
mischief. If they do, I shall know who to thank for it. I'll make a
batch of biscuit to-night before I go to bed; there's a pie in the
cupboard, and some cold pork, and you can boil potatoes for the
children's breakfast and for dinner. Are you listening?"

"Yes'm," replied Mell.

"See that the children have their faces and hands washed," went on her
step-mother. "Oh, dear, if you were a different kind of girl how much
easier would it be! I wish your father would come home and look after
his own affairs, instead of my having to leave things at sixes and
sevens and go running round the country hunting up his sick relations
for him."

"Is it grandmother who is sick?" asked Mell timidly. She had never seen
her grandmother, but she had played about her very often.

"No," snapped Mrs. Davis. "It's your Uncle Peter. Don't ask questions;
it's none of your business who's sick. Mind you strain the milk the
first thing to-morrow, and wring out the dishcloth when you're through
with it. Oh, dear, to think that I should have to go!"

Mell crept to bed. She was so very tired that it seemed just one moment
before Mrs. Davis was shaking her arm, and calling her to get up at
once, for it was five o'clock. Slowly she unclosed her sleepy eyes. Sure
enough, the night was gone. A fiery red bar in the East showed that the
sun too was getting out of bed, and making ready for a hot day's work.
Mell rubbed her eyes. She wished that it was all a dream, from which she
had waked only to fall asleep again. But it was no use playing at dreams
with Mrs. Davis standing by.

Mrs. Davis was by no means in a humor for play. People rarely are at
five in the morning. She rushed about the house like a whirlwind, giving
Mell directions, and scolding her in advance for all the wrong things
she was going to do, till the poor child was completely stunned and
confused. By and by the tall man appeared with his wagon. Mrs. Davis got
in and drove away, ordering and lecturing till the last moment. "What's
the use of telling, for you're sure to get it all wrong," were her last
words, and Mell thought so too.

She walked back to the house feeling stupid and unhappy. But the quiet
did her good, and as gradually she realized that her step-mother was
actually gone,--gone for the whole day,--her spirits revived, and she
began to smile and sing softly to herself. Very few little girls of
twelv