adows of departing day
Creep on once more,'

as the poet hath it, and when one has walked eight or nine miles across
the moors the man within cries out for food and drink even more than
for art. And therefore I have ventured to introduce myself to Mrs.
Hubbard and to inquire if she would make me a cup of tea, and she has
very kindly consented to do so."

I looked at Mother Hubbard, who had sufficient sense of the appropriate
to blush very becomingly.

"You old sinner!" I said, "how dare you impose upon my good nature!
Are there so few neighbours of ours who cater professionally for the
requirements of these 'men within' that we must needs enter into
competition with them?"

Mother Hubbard's nods and winks became so alarmingly expressive,
however, during the course of my speech, that I was in real danger of
becoming confused, so I turned to our guest and extricated myself.

"Be pleased to enter our humble abode, to which we make you heartily
welcome. And in return for such poor hospitality as we can offer you,
you shall regulate the clock, which has lately developed certain
eccentricities, and nail up the creeper on the gable end. Then if time
permits you shall rest your limbs on the wicker chair in the garden and
enlighten us as to what is going on in the world of men."

"With all my heart," he agreed, "and I promise to make so good a tea
that the debt will not be easily repaid."

He did pretty well, I must admit, and when it was over Mother Hubbard,
with a self-conscious cough, and a look that was eloquence itself,
expressed her fixed determination to clear away without my help.

"It's just a little fancy I have, love," she protested, as I tied on my
apron; "I really would like to do it all myself. I am tired of
sitting, and knitting seems to try my eyes to-day."

"Mother Hubbard," I replied, "you are a hypocritical old humbug, and
you are wanting to persuade Mr. Derwent that I am not domesticated,
which is too bad of you. And you know that I take my share of the
work."

"Really, love," said Mother Hubbard, who was almost in tears at the
denseness of my intelligence, "I'm sure Mr. Derwent will understand my
meaning."

I am only too much afraid that he did, for he looked at me out of the
corners of his eyes and said, with a merry twinkle which was provoking:

"I shall certainly need some information about the clock, and a little
assistance with the creeper. Miss Holden, you had better yield to Mrs