's a thief, do ye?"

"Come, Lion! come, boys!" said Jack, and started to follow Mr.
Betterson, without more words.

"Come here and 'cuse my boy o' stealin'!" said Peakslow, turning, and
looking all about him, as if he had hardly yet regained his senses. "I
had a hat somewheres. Hundred dollars--no, nor two hundred--won't pay
the damage done to me this day."

"But the children, they are all safe," said Mrs. Peakslow, "and we ought
to be thankful."

"Thankful! Look a' that linter! _Three_ hundred won't do it!"

"O pa!" cried Zeph, "you've got a great gash on the back o' your head!"

"Never mind the gash," said Peakslow, putting up his hand. "That'll
heal itself. Holes in the buildin's won't."

Vinnie meanwhile conferred with Jack and Mr. Betterson, as they were
about going away; and also called her sister, and afterward Mrs.
Peakslow, to the consultation.

"O, I don't know, Lavinia dear!" said Caroline in great distress of
mind.

But Lord Betterson spoke out manfully,--

"Lavinia is right. Mrs. Peakslow, we have plenty of spare room in our
house, which you are welcome to till you can do better."

"O Mr. Betterson!" the poor woman sobbed out, quite overcome by this
unexpected kindness, "you are too good!"

"I beg your pardon," replied Lord Betterson, in his most gracious
manner. "We wish simply to do as we might wish neighbors to do by us
under similar circumstances. Our boys will help yours get your things
over to my house,--whatever you want, Mrs. Peakslow."

Lord did not much mind the woman's outburst of tears and thanks; but
when he observed the look of admiration and gratitude in Vinnie's deep
eyes, fixed upon him, he felt an unaccustomed thrill.

Mrs. Peakslow went weeping back to her husband.

"I am sorry you spoke as you did," she said. "We all thought you was
under the linter; and they was all workin' so hard--as if they had been
our best friends--to get you out."

"Best friends!" repeated Peakslow, with a snort of angry contempt.

"Yes, pa; and now,--will you believe it?--now that we haven't a ruf to
our heads, they offer us shelter in _their_ house!"

"In the castle?--huh!" sneered Peakslow. "I never thought 't would come
to that!"

"Where else _can_ we go?" said Mrs. Peakslow. "It's 'most night,--nights
are beginnin' to be cold,--and think o' the children! 'T will be weeks,
I s'pose, 'fore ye can rebuild."

"If I couldn't rebuild in all etarnity, I wouldn't set foot in Lord
Betterson's