't prevent him from making a horrid mess of
things,' began Sarah hotly.

But George silenced his sister, and said to his mother, 'Very well, dear
mother, if you do not wish me to try to carry on father's business for
him till he is able to take it up again himself, then I will not do so;
but I shall ask Uncle Howroyd to take me into his mill to learn the
business of a blanket-maker. I mean to be sooner or later.'

Mrs Clay looked at her son in amazement. 'You, George! But all your
book-learnin'--w'at are you goin' to do wi' all that? Is it all goin' to
be wasted? All your beautiful, expensive education an' all?' she
expostulated. 'An' Sarah, too, talkin' o' stayin' at 'ome an' 'elpin'!
She'll 'ave to go to some school, though I doubt whether we can afford
her present one.'

'I don't think that school is much loss to Sarah, though it seems to have
suited Miss Cunningham. But as for my book-learning, I mean to try to
apply it to manufacturing; and if it is not much use there, as I fear it
won't be, still no knowledge is lost, and I shall always have my books
and the pleasure of reading,' remarked George.

'Well, my dear, you must do as you think best. If you could do such a
thing as keep the mills goin' till your father was about again, 'twould
be a grand thing, an' give 'im new life w'en 'e came to 'imself, an' I've
no right to be a 'indrance in your way; so do as you wish, dear, an' God
bless you for a dear, good boy!' said his mother, after some argument.

'Come along Sarah, let's go and look at our mills. It's rather
disgraceful, but, do you know, I've never been over the whole of them
before,' said George.

'It will be dreadful to see them empty and "playing," as the people say,'
said Sarah.

'Please, sir,' said Naomi, 'the French _chef_ is here, and wants a
month's wages and compensation for loss, he says.'

George paused on the threshold. 'I thought Sykes was seeing to all that,
and housing the people till we could settle with them?' said George.

'He says he wishes to leave this country of savages at once,' said Naomi,
with a toss of her head.

'I expect there's money in the till at the mills,' said Sarah.

'I'll write him a cheque on my own bank, and I shall be thankful to eat
no more of his elaborate messes,' observed George; and he did so, though
the cheque was a much bigger one than he had expected, and the operation
had to be repeated till most of the servants were satisfied, after which
George s