“Where is the little boy you brought with you? I thought I saw him here just now.” “And here I am, ma’am,” cried Jem, creeping from under the table, with some few remaining feathers which he had picked from the carpet; “I thought,” added he, pointing to the others, “I had better be doing something than standing idle, ma’am.” She smiled, and, pleased with his activity and simplicity, began to ask him several questions; such as who he was, where he lived, what employment he had, and how much a day he earned by gathering fossils. “This is the first day I ever tried,” said Jem; “I never sold any yet, and if you don’t buy ’em now, ma’am, I’m afraid nobody else will; for I’ve asked everybody else.” “Come, then,” said the lady, laughing, “if that is the case, I think I had better buy them all.” So, emptying all the fossils out of his basket, she put half a crown into it. Jem’s eyes sparkled with joy. “Oh, thank you, ma’am,” said he, “I will be sure and bring you as many more, to-morrow.” “Yes, but I don’t promise you,” said she, “to give you half a crown, to-morrow.” “But, perhaps, though you don’t promise it, you will.” “No,” said the lady, “do not deceive yourself; I assure you that I will not. _That_, instead of encouraging you to be industrious, would teach you to be idle.” Jem did not quite understand what she meant by this, but answered, “I’m sure I don’t wish to be idle; what I want is to earn something every day, if I know how; I’m sure I don’t wish to be idle. If you knew all, you’d know I did not.” “How do you mean, _if I knew all_?” “Why, I mean, if you knew about Lightfoot.” “Who’s Lightfoot?” “Why, mammy’s horse,” added Jem, looking out of the window; “I must make haste home, and feed him afore it gets dark; he’ll wonder what’s gone with me.” “Let him wonder a few minutes longer,” said the lady, “and tell me the rest of your story.” “I’ve no story, ma’am, to tell, but as how mammy says he must go to the fair Monday fortnight, to be sold, if she can’t get the two guineas for her rent; and I should be main sorry to part with him, for I love him, and he loves me; so I’ll work for him, I will, all I can. To be sure, as mammy says, I have no chance, such a little fellow as I am, of earning two guineas afore Monday fortnight.” “But are you willing earnestly to work?” said the lady; “you know there is a great deal of difference between picking up a few stones, and working steadily every day, and all day long.” “But,” said Jem, “I would work every day, and all day long.” “Then,” said the lady, “I will give you work. Come here, to-morrow morning, and my gardener will set you to weed the shrubberies, and I will pay you sixpence a day. Remember, you must be at the gates by six o’clock.” Jem bowed, thanked her, and went away.