le about going into pasture. There, she's in now, and all we've
got to do is to put up the bars. By the time we get back breakfast
will be ready. Did you walk all the way from the city?"

There was no necessity for Seth to make a reply, because at this
instant an audacious wren flew past within a dozen inches of Snip's
nose, causing him to spring from the girl's arms in a vain pursuit,
which was not ended until the children were at the kitchen door.

The morning meal was prepared, and as Gladys drew out a chair to show
Seth where he should sit, Aunt Hannah asked anxiously:

"What does the dog do while you are eating?"

"You'll see how well he can behave himself," Snip's master replied
proudly, as the little fellow laid down on the floor at a respectful
distance from the table.

Much to Seth's surprise, instead of immediately beginning the meal,
the little woman bowed her head reverentially, Gladys following the
example, and for the first time in his life did the boy hear a
blessing invoked upon the food of which he was about to partake.

It caused him just a shade of uneasiness and perhaps awe, this
"prayin' before breakfast" as he afterward expressed it while going
over the events of the day with Snip, and he did not feel wholly at
ease until the meal had well nigh come to an end.

Then the little woman gave free rein to her curiosity, by asking:

"Where are you going, my boy?"

"That's what I don't just know," Seth replied, after a short pause.
"Pip Smith, he said the country was a terrible nice place to live in,
an' when Snip an' I had to come away, I thought perhaps we could find
a chance to earn some money."

"Haven't you any parents, or a home?" Aunt Hannah asked in surprise.

"I don't s'pose I have. I did live over to Mr. Genet's in Jersey City;
but he died, an' I had to hustle for myself."

"Had to what?" Aunt Hannah asked.

"Why, shinny 'round for money enough to pay my way. There ain't much
of anything a feller like me can do but sell papers, an' I don't cut
any big ice at that, 'cause I can't get 'round as fast as the other
boys."

"Did you earn enough to provide you with food, and clothes, an' a
place to sleep?"

"Well, sometimes. You see I ain't flashin' up very strong on clothes,
an' Snip an' I had a room down to Mother Hyde's that cost us eighty
cents a week. We could most always get along, except sometimes when
there was a heavy storm an' trade turned bad."

"I suppose you became disc