e how well he does it!" she cried.

"I wonder that he is not ashamed to use his fingers like a girl!"
exclaimed Lubin, who was himself remarkably clumsy.

Mrs. Sewing turned round with a smile and a courtesy.

"Better the fingers thus employing
Than in fighting, fidgeting, or destroying,"

observed she.

Dick looked up and laughed. "I'll soon prove to you, my lad," he cried,
"that hands that can ground a pretty slip of German work, are ready and
fit for something harder," and he squared up towards Lubin with clenched
fists, and such a merry look of defiance, that his brother was more
than convinced by the sight, and trotted off along the lane of Trouble,
at a much brisker pace than usual.

"We'll go after the plump one," cried Dick, "or he'll arrive at Mr.
Reading's before us."

Along the lane they all went. The weather had been dry of late, and the
road was not so muddy as usual. Indeed the walk was so agreeable that
Dick remarked that "trouble is a pleasure." It was not long before the
four young householders found themselves at the door of Messrs. Reading
and Writing.

Their shop was a very large and handsome one; indeed a finer and better
was not to be seen in the whole town of Education, on the outskirts of
which it stood. It was separated into two divisions, over the first and
principal of which Mr. Reading himself presided. A great variety of
papers for walls were displayed in the large glass windows, and when the
children peeped in they saw a vast number more in the shop.

"Well, here's a fine choice!" exclaimed Matty, in pleased surprise; "I
think that one might spend half one's life in the shop of Mr. Reading,
and always find out something pretty and new."

"But where is Mr. Reading himself?" cried Lubin; "and how are we to get
through this iron grating which shuts us out from the shop?"

His last question was answered by the funniest little dwarf that ever
was seen, who popped out from behind the counter, and with a large iron
key in his hand came toddling up to the grating. He was just twenty-six
inches high, and had a head almost as big as the rest of his body.

"I say, little chap, will you let us in?" said Dick, rapping on the iron
bars.

"I'm not accustomed to be spoken to after that fashion," cried the dwarf
angrily; "my name is not 'little chap,' but 'Mr. Alphabet,' though some
dare to call me A B C. I ought to be treated with respect, for I am
several thousand years old."

"