to enjoy it.

CHAPTER VII.

PADDY'S RESOLVE.

Over the pleasant little dinner table Dick's heart was quite won. The
room was so clean and pretty, and the hot meal so good after the meagre
fare of the last fortnight. And the new friends were so kind and
sympathising, it was easy to tell them about the long march from
Venley, and all his hopes about the future. Only there was no uncle
Dick to help him in his heart's desire to become an engineer, and he
would have to fight his own way.

But Mr. Dainton was quite disposed to be a true friend.

"I like your pluck, my boy, and I'll see what I can do, for my old
friend's sake, and for your kindness to a little kitten. I may be able
to get you into our yard, though you'll have to be content with rough
work and very small wages at first. I suppose you haven't a reference
or testimonial of any sort?"

Dick suddenly remembered the slip of paper given him by the gentleman
on horseback, and he gave it silently into Mr. Dainton's hand.

"Why, this is first-rate, my boy! Couldn't be better. Sir Dale
Melville is one of the directors of the line we do so much work for,
and it was luck, or something better, that brought you in his way."

"Something better, I should say," Mrs. Dainton remarked softly, and
Dick answered her smile with one as bright.

"You're right, wife, it strikes me God has been guiding Dick here right
to our door, and I can see he thinks so, too."

"He could stop here, couldn't he mother, till Teddy comes back from
grandma's, and have his little room?" said Nellie, eagerly. "Then Pat
and Kitty could quite make friends, and have such fun together."

"That's not a bad notion, pet, if mother is willing."

And Mrs. Dainton at once said "Yes," and so Dick found himself with
home and food and friends, before he had been an hour in Ironboro'.

How wonderfully God had answered his prayers!

"Hulloa, you young hopeful, what do you mean by sleeping all through
dinner, and then waking just as we've cleared the dishes?" And Mr.
Dainton stooped to the cradle by the hearth, where a bonny six-month's
old baby had wakened with a cry.

"What, fretty, little man? Those teeth do bother you, don't they? And
I can't stop to take you now."

"Let me have him!" cried Dick, quickly, holding out his arms. "I've
had a lot to do with babies."

And to their great surprise, baby Jack went to him at once with a
contented chuckle, and settled down as if he had k