gownd for you,--that would be
splendatious. Just fancy, mother, a gownd all over welvet, and just the
same colour as the sodgers' coats. My eye! won't that be grand?"

"And a nice sight I should look in it," Mrs. Holl said, laughing at the
thought of herself in scarlet robes. "When dad comes home we will talk
over with him what's the best way of laying out this money. It's yours
to do as you likes with, but I ain't a-going to have it fooled away, so
don't you make any mistake about that."

[Illustration]

CHAPTER III.

A CRIPPLE BOY.

JOHN HOLL returned from work a few minutes after Evan came in. John Holl
was a dustman. A short, broadly-built man, with his shoulders bowed
somewhat from carrying heavy baskets up area steps. His looks were
homely, and his attire far from clean; but John was a good husband and
father, and the great proportion of the many twopences he daily received
as douceurs for discharging his duties were brought home to his wife, as
was all the weekly money, instead of being exchanged for liquor at the
public-house.

Sarah Holl added to the family income by going out charring. She was a
big woman, with a rough voice, and slipshod in walk; her hands were red
and hard from much scrubbing and polishing, and she was considered
generally by the servants in the establishments at which she worked to
be a low person. But Sarah's heart was in the right place; her children
loved her, and her husband regarded her as a treasure.

It was not until John Holl had changed his dirt-stained clothes, and had
freshened himself up with a copious wash, had put on a pair of list
slippers of Sarah's manufacture in place of his heavy boots, and had
seated himself by the fire with his long pipe alight, while Sarah
bustled about getting the tea, that he was informed of the important
events which had taken place; for John, like many more distinguished
men, had his idiosyncrasies, and one of these was that he hated to be,
as he called it, "hustled," before he had tidied up. John was not quick
of comprehension, and could not give due weight to what was said to him
while engaged in the important work of changing; therefore all pieces of
family news were reserved until he had taken his seat and his pipe was
fully alight. Then Mrs. Holl began--

"What do you think, John, Evan 'as been a-doing to-day?"

John gave a grunt, to signify that he would prefer hearing the facts to
wasting his brain-power in random guesses.