d
spread it out in the sun, to dry as much as it could before dark, and
seemed to think no more of it than Mildred did of washing her doll's
petticoat.

Mildred took charge of the lighter articles that required care--her
mother's china, for one thing; for it was found that nothing made of
earthenware remained unbroken in the lower rooms. There were some
pewter plates, which were now lodged under the beech, together with pots
and pans, knives and forks, and horn spoons. There was no table light
enough to be moved, but a small one of deal, which Ailwin dragged out
from under water, with all its legs broken: but enough of it remained
entire to make it preferable to the bare ground for preparing their food
on, when once it should be dry. There was a stool a-piece--not
forgetting one for Roger; and Mildred took care that Geordie should have
his own little chair. Not even Ailwin could carry a chest of drawers:
but she carried down the separate drawers, with the clothes of the
family in them. No one of the household had ever seen a carpet; but
there was matting on some of the floors. Ailwin pulled up pieces of
this, to be some protection against the damp and insects of the ground.

"It is as wet as water now," said she; "but we must not quarrel with
anything to-day on that account; and matting will dry on the hill better
than at home. If it turns out rotten, we must try and spare a piece of
the cloth from overhead, to lay underfoot: but George will feel it more
like home, if he has a bit of matting to trip his little foot against."

So down-stairs went a great bundle of wet matting.

"Will not that do for to-night?" asked Oliver, languidly, as he saw
Ailwin preparing to put off again, when the sun was just touching the
western hills. "You know we have to put up the tent, and get something
to eat before we can go to sleep; and it has been such a long, long
day!"

"As you please," said Ailwin; "but you said the house would be down in
the night; and there are many things yet that we should be sorry to have
to do without."

"Never mind them:--let them go, I am sure we all want to be asleep more
than anything else."

"Sleep, indeed! Do you suppose I shall sleep with that boy hid among
the trees? Not I, you may rely upon it. Those may that can: and I will
watch."

No one had yet mentioned Roger, though all felt that his presence was a
terrible drawback to the comfort of their establishment on the hill,
which mi