“And if it is all for myself, I may have the tools!” cried David. “You shall have them, if you really think it is right, when Monday week comes.” CHAPTER XVI. IDEAS were slow in both entering or dying out of David’s mind; but while there they reigned supreme. Carpentry had come in as the pig had gone out, and with the more force, because a new window was being put into Mamma’s room; and George Bowles was there, with all his delightful tools, letting the little boys amuse themselves therewith, till they had hardly three sound fingers between them; and Nurse Freeman, when she dressed their wounds, could not think what was the use of a lady if she could not keep the children from hurting themselves; but Miss Fosbrook thought that it was better that boys should get a few cuts and bruises than that they should be timid and unhandy. One evening, all the party walked to carry to Hannah Higgins’s little girl a pinafore that Annie had been making. She was a nice, tidy woman, but there was little furniture in her house, and she looked very poor. The garden was large, and in pretty good order; and there was an empty pig-sty, into which Annie peeped significantly. “No, Miss Annie, we haven’t no pig,” said Mrs. Higgins. “Ben says, says he, ‘Mother, when I’m taken on for carter boy, see if I don’t get you a nice little pig, as will eat the garden stuff, and pay the rent.’ “Oh, but—” began Annie, and there she came to a sudden stop. “Is he likely soon to be a carter boy?” asked Miss Fosbrook. “No, Ma’am; he is but ten years old, and they don’t often take them on under twelve; but he is a good boy to his mother, and a terrible one for leasing.” Miss Fosbrook was obliged to have it explained to her that “leasing” meant gleaning; and she saw the grand pile of small neat bundles of wheat put out to dry on the sunny side of the house. “O Davie!” cried Annie, as soon as they were outside the gate, “sha’n’t we get the pig for Hannah?” “It is my money, not yours; I shall do what I please with it,” said David, rather crossly. Miss Fosbrook pulled Annie back, and desired her to let David alone; herself wondering what would be the effect of what he had seen. He had been eager to do good to Hannah when no desire of his own stood in the way; but a formed wish had arisen in his mind, and he loved himself better than Hannah. Christabel dreaded the clearing-up of the secret of the post-office order, lest he should be proved to love himself more than right and justice.