etfully, "what makes _you_ so late? It's bad enough
to have your father coming in at all hours and wanting his supper."

Dan made no answer, but hurried up to the corner from which the child's
voice had sounded. "See here, Becky," he said softly; "see what I've
brought you!"

The child, a girl of about eight years old, raised herself eagerly on
the hard couch on which she was lying. She was very like Dan, with the
same brown skin and dark eyes, but the eyes had no merry twinkle in
them. Her face was thin and drawn, and had the appealing look which
comes of suffering borne with patience.

"Is it a rabbit, Dan?" she asked, peering at the soft furry thing in her
brother's arms.

"It's a little cat," said Dan, putting the kitten gently down by her
side, "as Bill was going to ill-treat."

Becky touched the kitten with her thin fingers. "Its eyes is shut," she
said. "Oh Dan, I'm feared it's dead."

The woman had now drawn near to look at the kitten too. She had a fair
skin and very pale blue eyes, which were always wide open, as though she
were surprised at something; when this expression changed, it became a
fretful one, which had also got into the tone of her voice.

"Give us a drop o' milk, mother," said Dan; "that'll do it good."

"Milk indeed!" said Mrs Tuvvy; "and what next? Where's the money to
come from to buy milk for cats, when goodness knows if we shall soon
have bit or drop to put into our own mouths?"

Neither of the children took any notice of their mother's remarks, or
answered the questions which she continued to put.

"How do you suppose we're going to live, now yer father's got turned
off? Who's a-goin' to pay the doctor's bill, I should like to know?"

Dan rose and fetched from the table a small basin covered with a saucer.

"That's yer supper," said Mrs Tuvvy mournfully. "You ain't never goin'
to give it to the cat! Well, you won't get no more."

Dan knelt by the couch, and tried to put a little warm milk into the
kitten's mouth with the spoon, but its teeth were firmly shut.

"You open its mouth, Dan, and I'll feed it," said Becky eagerly.
"There, it swallowed that--now some more. See; it's better already."

For the kitten had opened its eyes, and given itself a little stretch.
Soon it was able to lap some milk out of the saucer, and to eat some
crumbled bread.

"Ain't it a little dear?" said Becky, her thin face lighted up with
pleasure. "Oh Dan, it's purring! It must be q