"Is it a girl or a boy?" "A boy, a fine healthy little chap, so Butt's mother-in-law has written to tell him." "How he must wish to see the baby!" exclaimed Mrs. John, with a softening countenance. "He's hoping to, before long, ma'am, for there'll be a cottage vacant in the village at Christmas, and he means to take it. Then, as soon as he possibly can, he's going to ask master to allow him a couple of days' holiday to fetch his wife and baby." "He appears to have taken you into his confidence, Jane." Jane nodded. The hamper was corded by this time, and all that remained to be done was to address a label. Mrs. John glanced out of the window, then turned to Rose. "There's Butt in the yard now; he's going into Oxford with the waggon presently, so he can send off the hamper himself from the station. Tell him I want him." Rose went to do her mother's bidding, and a few minutes later returned, followed by Richard Butt, who had greatly improved in appearance since the afternoon he had begged from Mavis, and she had impulsively sent him around to the back door. Then he had looked ragged, cold, and dispirited; now he was comfortably clad, and held his head erect once more. "What is your wife's address, Butt?" inquired Mrs. John. "My wife's address, ma'am!" the man exclaimed, in amazement. "Yes. This hamper is to go to her; it contains a chicken, and a pudding, and a few other things, and you're to send it off from Oxford. Here's the money to pay the carriage. Tell me the address." He did so, and Mrs. John wrote it on the label, which she proceeded to affix to the hamper. "Ma'am, I can never thank you properly," the young man stammered, quite overcome with gratitude and surprise. He looked at the shilling Mrs. John had given him, then at the hamper. "God bless you for your goodness!" he added fervently. "It's your master's doing. It's nothing to do with me. There, take the hamper away with you. By-the-by, I hear you've a little son, Butt; I hope his father will be a good example to him." The tone in which this was said was more cordial than the words, and Butt carried off the hamper with a radiant countenance. "I think I never saw any one look more pleased," observed Jane. "Who comes now?" she exclaimed, as there was a loud knock at the back door. She went to see, and reappeared bearing a large wooden box which she deposited on the kitchen table, saying— "It's come by the railway van, and it's directed to you, Miss Mavis. There's nothing to pay, but you must please sign this book, to show it's been delivered safely." "Oh, it's Miss Dawson's Christmas-box, for certain!" cried Rose. Whilst Mavis, feeling very important and excited, signed the delivery book under Jane's directions. "Oh, Mavis, open it quickly and see what's inside! Here's a knife to cut the cord."