had just re-filled a cushion, and was holding it before her at
arm's-length.

"Is it fat enough?" she screamed back at her daughter.

"It isn't fat at all," said Maisie, who with Dennis was untying the
hamper; "it's a thin little kitten, but it's very good."

"Dear Miss Maisie," said Anne, with a chuckling laugh, "it's the cushion
mother means, not the cat."

What with old Sally's deafness, and the increasing thickness of the air,
in which the two old figures were dimly seen as through a woolly veil,
conversation was really impossible. There were many questions Maisie
would have liked to ask about the kitten's future comfort, but she saw
that they would be useless; so she contented herself with quietly saying
good-bye to her favourite, and dropping a few secret tears over it.
Dennis, however, had made up his mind to know one thing, and he advanced
a little way into the cottage, and shouted: "Is Tuvvy at work to-day?"

Anne was seen indistinctly to nod in answer to this. "He's got the
sack, though," she said. "He won't be there not after next week."

The blow had fallen! Both the children left the cottage in low spirits,
and for some time walked along in silence; Maisie grieving for the
kitten, and Dennis with his mind full of Tuvvy's disgrace. He had so
hoped Mr Solace would not send him away. And now the worst had come,
and soon there would be no Tuvvy in the barn.

They had reached the middle of the rick-yard, and Maisie was casting her
usual anxious glances round for the turkey-cock, when Dennis came to a
sudden stop, and exclaimed:

"I know what I'll do!"

"What?" said Maisie, looking at him inquiringly. She wished he would
not stand still just there, but he spoke in such a determined manner
that she knew it must be something important; so she stood still too,
and waited for him to speak.

"I shall go and ask Mr Solace to let Tuvvy stop," he said.

Maisie's look changed to one of admiration, and almost of awe. "Shall
you, really?" she said softly. "Do you think he will?"

"I don't know," replied Dennis, beginning to walk on very quickly, "but
I shall try to make him."

"But," said Maisie, after a minute's thought, "wouldn't it be best to
ask Tuvvy first to leave off having bouts?"

Although she was a girl, and younger than himself, Dennis was quite
ready to acknowledge that Maisie had very sensible ideas sometimes. He
now stopped again, and stared at her. It would certainly be better to
g