I've tired you, Mr Howroyd, and taken up a lot of your time. I'd
no idea it took so long to look over a mill. Why, we must have been
nearly two hours.'

'Nearer two hours and a half. I calculate one and a half for most of my
visitors; but, then, they don't all want to know so much as this young
lady,' he replied, laughing.

'Oh, did I ask a lot of questions?' inquired Horatia.

'You did,' said Sarah.

'Well, I _am_ enjoying myself,' repeated Horatia for the hundredth time,
with always the same emphasis on the 'am.'

Mr Howroyd flashed one of his bright glances at her. 'That's right!' he
said.

'I do like knowing new things and doing new things, and all this is so
new to me. I feel as if I were abroad, out of England somewhere; and
wool-making--I mean making blankets and woollen things--is most
interesting,' said Horatia.

Sarah seemed to be pondering over something. Suddenly she lifted her
head--'What holiday-essay are you going to write this summer?'

Horatia gave a merry laugh. 'Oh, well, it wasn't for that I came to stay
with you, Sarah. You mustn't think that; but, of course, it will be nice
and easy to write one upon wool.'

'Oh, ho! So I have been teaching you your holiday-lesson, have I?' said
Mr Howroyd, as he helped Horatia to apple-tart and handed her the cheese;
for at Howroyd's Mill no maid waited at lunch. William Howroyd said he
had to be careful what he said before a servant, and he could reach all
he wanted himself.

Sarah was just putting out her hand to stop her uncle, but decided not to
interfere with him, for Mr Howroyd never understood a hint, and, with
what his niece considered a lamentable want of tact, would say, 'What are
you driving at, lass?' or 'Speak out, child; I like plain speaking.' So,
much as Sarah would have liked to prevent her uncle from offering 'such
an unfashionable mixture' as apple-tart and cheese, she abstained.

Horatia stared for a moment; then, thinking it was absent-mindedness on
the part of her host, burst into a merry laugh. 'You've only just given
me apple-tart, Mr Howroyd. I haven't come to the cheese course yet.'

'But we eat them together in Yorkshire. Come, you like new things; just
try cheese and apple-tart; it's a very good mixture, to my mind,' said Mr
Howroyd as he held the plate to Horatia.

'Very well, I will try it; but I don't think it sounds very nice, and if
I don't like it you must give me a lump of sugar; in fact, I think I had
better have