"Have ’e got a bit of meat there, Dicky?" she asked, her nature crying for food. "I should just think we had. A half of a calf’s head for soup, and three bottles of jelly, and a bottle of wine. I wish I was faither!" "And grapes, took out of a barrel of sawdust," said Samson. "A long journey for your little legs; but nought to mine," she said. "You must know, you boys, that I be going to set out on a journey myself as far as from here to the stars--or further." They laughed at the idea. "Be you? And what’ll David say?" asked Richard. "He’ll understand very well. ’Tis for him I shall do it. I lay he’ll be glad." "Why don’t he go along with you?" "Not yet; but he’ll come after some day." "Where’s your luggage to?" asked the practical Samson. "Don’t want none--no luggage--no money--no ticket--only a pinch of courage. Mr. Shillabeer taught me the way. If you’ve out-lived your usefulness, ’tis better to make room for better people. And there’s no such thing as wrong-doing, Dick, because God A’mighty, being all-powerful, won’t let it happen. You and Samson might think as you do wrong sometimes." "So they tell us," admitted Samson. "Not you--you’re God’s children and can’t no more do wrong than the birds and the angels." "That’s worth knowing," said Richard. "Nor yet me: I must do what I must, and the journey’s got to be took. Because I may be useful in one place, though I can’t be in another.... ’Tis a bitter cruel thing to be misunderstood, Samson." "So it is--as I said last time Joshua gave me a lacing and found out after ’twas Nap," he answered. "When might you start?" asked Richard. "There’s nought to keep me--my usefulness be ended. But I’m that terrible hungry." "I should go home along and have a bit of supper first." "No, no, Sam. Good-byes be such sad things. Better I go without ’em. Bartley, he went off without, and he was wise. But I see’d him set out. All the same, his journey’s but a span long to mine." The boys were puzzled. They talked together. "Might us give her a biscuit--one of them big uns?" whispered Richard; but Samson refused. "No. ’Twill be found out, and of course they’ll say we ate it." "Where do ’e set out from?" asked Richard. "From this here pool." "Funny place to go on a journey from," said Samson. "’Tis my belief you’m having a game with us." Margaret shook her head. "Never no more," she said. "We’ve played many and many a good game--you two and me. But they all be ended now. I’m going to new usefulness somewhere long ways off--terrible busy I’ll be, without a doubt; and you be both growing into men, and busy too. But don’t you forget me, you boys--because I never will forget neither of you." "You talk as if you wasn’t going to come back," said Richard. "I’m sure David would make a terrible fuss if you was to go for long."