for behind the curtain drawn across the window-seat no
less a man than Uncle Ben was sitting half asleep and weary; and by his
side a little girl very quiet and very watchful. My mother led me to
Uncle Ben, and he took my hand without rising, muttering something not
over-polite, about my being bigger than ever. I asked him heartily how
he was, and he said, 'Well enough, for that matter; but none the better
for the noise you great clods have been making.'

'I am sorry if we have disturbed you, sir,' I answered very civilly;
'but I knew not that you were here even; and you must allow for harvest
time.'

'So it seems,' he replied; 'and allow a great deal, including waste
and drunkenness. Now (if you can see so small a thing, after emptying
flagons much larger) this is my granddaughter, and my heiress'--here he
glanced at mother--'my heiress, little Ruth Huckaback.'

'I am very glad to see you, Ruth,' I answered, offering her my hand,
which she seemed afraid to take, 'welcome to Plover's Barrows, my good
cousin Ruth.'

However, my good cousin Ruth only arose, and made me a curtsey, and
lifted her great brown eyes at me, more in fear, as I thought, than
kinship. And if ever any one looked unlike the heiress to great
property, it was the little girl before me.

'Come out to the kitchen, dear, and let me chuck you to the ceiling,' I
said, just to encourage her; 'I always do it to little girls; and then
they can see the hams and bacon.' But Uncle Reuben burst out laughing;
and Ruth turned away with a deep rich colour.

'Do you know how old she is, you numskull?' said Uncle Ben, in his
dryest drawl; 'she was seventeen last July, sir.'

'On the first of July, grandfather,' Ruth whispered, with her back still
to me; 'but many people will not believe it.'

Here mother came up to my rescue, as she always loved to do; and she
said, 'If my son may not dance Miss Ruth, at any rate he may dance with
her. We have only been waiting for you, dear John, to have a little
harvest dance, with the kitchen door thrown open. You take Ruth; Uncle
Ben take Sally; Master Debby pair off with Polly; and neighbour Nicholas
will be good enough, if I can awake him, to stand up with fair Mistress
Kebby. Lizzie will play us the virginal. Won't you, Lizzie dear?'

'But who is to dance with you, madam?' Uncle Ben asked, very politely.
'I think you must rearrange your figure. I have not danced for a score
of years; and I will not dance now, while th