"I am sure our Sir William will be pleased," remarked Cicely. "He has always wished for a girls' school. But it seems like a come down in life for you to be teaching a dame-school for children such as these, not young ladies, but daughters of tradesfolk and the like." "I suppose our Lord died for tradesfolk and laborers as well as for gentlefolks," said Jack smiling. "That is very true," said Sister Barbara; "and a religious person ought not to think any office too lowly which is done for the good of others. I have heard that our holy father the Pope washes the feet of twelve old men every Holy Thursday." "Yes, with a gold basin and a damask cloth," said Jack dryly. "Master Fleming told me about that. He has seen the ceremony." "I should like to meet this same Master Fleming," said the baker. "He bade me say to you, father, that he desired to make your acquaintance," said Jack eagerly. "I had so much to think about, I had well-nigh forgotten the message. He is Sir William's cousin as I told you, and is to stay here a month or more. I am sure you will like him, for he has travelled a great deal, and you know you love travellers' tales." "Ay, that I do. Well, we will go to see him, and have him and Sir William home to supper. He has been kind to you, and that is enough to make me love him." "Then must you love all the world, and yourself most of all, for all the world is kind to me," said Jack; "but when will you go?" "Directly, and you will go with me. I am right curious to see this friend of yours." "Jack is graver than ever," said Cicely, when Jack had left the room. "He seems a wondrous good lad," observed Sister Barbara. "I had thought all boys rough and cruel." "They are so, too many of them," answered Cicely; "but our Jack was never like other boys, even before he took this last turn. And yet, though Jack is so grave and thoughtful ever since he came home, he seems happy too. I see him sometimes sit thinking by himself, and his face shines as if there were a light within." "He is much changed," said Anne. "I cannot make him out. He is not like the same boy he was last winter." Anne was right. In such circumstances and times as I have been describing, character develops fast, and Jack had grown from a schoolboy into a man. CHAPTER XII. AN EXPLANATION. Sir William Leavett caught with avidity at the proposition of Madam Barbara, as she came presently to be called, to teach a girls' school in Bridge Street. A room was found in a house belonging to Master Lucas and suitably arranged; and here did Madam Barbara set up her sceptre over her kingdom of about twenty little maids of all ages from three to twelve, to whom she taught the arts of sewing, knitting, spinning, and reading, promising to advance the best scholars as far as white seam, cut-work, and carpet-work, and possibly even to writing.