all the boys as a dainty
thing; and Reuben placed a chair for her by the drift-wood fire, with
as much feeling of the unfitness of surrounding circumstances, as if
she had been the Queen. Something in the hand that was laid on his
shoulder brushed that away; and then Reuben looked and spoke as usual.

Surrounding circumstances were not so bad, after all. Faith had noticed
how carefully and neatly the snow was cleared from the door and down to
the water's edge, and everything within bore the same tokens. The room
was very tiny, the floor bare--but very clean; the blazing drift-wood
the only adornment. Yet not so: for on an old sea chest which graced
one side of the room, lay Reuben's work which they had interrupted. An
open book, with one or two others beside it; and by them all, with mesh
and netting-kneedle and twine, lay an old net which Reuben had been
repairing. The drift-wood had stone supporters,--the winter wind swept
in a sort of grasping way round the little hut; and the dashing of the
Sound waters, and the sharp war of the floating ice, broke the
stillness. But they were very glad eyes that Reuben lifted to Mr.
Linden's face and a very glad alacrity brought forward a little box for
Faith to rest her feet.

"Don't you mean to sit down, Mr. Linden?" he said.

"To be sure I do. But I haven't wished you a happy New Year yet." And
the lips that Reuben most reverenced in the world, left their greeting
on his forehead. It was well the boy found something to do--with the
fire, and Faith's box, and Mr. Linden's chair! But then he stood silent
and quiet as before.

"Don't _you_ mean to sit down, Reuben?" said Faith.

Reuben smiled,--not as if he cared about a seat; but he brought forward
another little box, not even the first cousin of Faith's, and sat down
as she desired.

"Didn't you find it very cold, Miss Faith?" he said, as if he could not
get used to seeing her there. "Are you getting warm now?"

Faith said she hadn't been cold; and would fast enough have entered
into conversation with Reuben, but she thought he would rather hear
words from other lips, and was sure that other lips could give them
better.

"And have you got quite well, ma'm?" said Reuben.

"Don't I look well?" she said smiling at him. "What are you doing over
there, Reuben?--making a net?"

"O I was mending it, Miss Faith."

"I can't afford to have you at that work just now," said Mr.
Linden,--"you know we begin school again to-morrow