In spite of Miss Crawford's injunction the brother and sister halted under the first lamp-post to take a peep at their books. Phil was all impatience to know what his was about, though had it not been that his spirit was infectious, it would have been enough for Millie to feast her eyes on the pretty blue cover of hers. Phil uttered a long "O!" of joyful anticipation as he saw the title, "The Early Lives of Great Painters," and Millie read aloud the golden letters on the cover of her book, "Ministering Children." "'Ministering Children'! What are ministering children, Phil?" she asked wonderingly. "Why," he replied, looking fondly at her, "they are children like you, Millie." [Illustration] CHAPTER V. MISS CRAWFORD'S PROPOSAL. PHIL went about his work in much better spirits after his visit to Miss Crawford. It seemed strange to him now that he had once felt so ungracious and unfriendly towards her. He did not know her then; that was it. He had thought she was a fine lady who patronised her poorer neighbours, and Phil's English heart revolted against the idea. When he saw that she met him on the equal ground of their common humanity, talked to him of his great longing to become an artist, sympathised with him that he could not continue his education, and devised plans for his self-improvement, then Phil's gratitude and affection flowed out to her like a river, and next to Millie she had the warmest place in his heart. Millie he could love, and pet, and caress, but she was as simple as a baby, and sadly ignorant of many things that he had at his tongue's end. Now in Miss Crawford, he had found a friend older and wiser than himself, one who would direct him, and tell him how best to get the help he needed to carry on the studies which, notwithstanding the difficulties attending the resolution, he determined should still be pursued. In his new-found happiness even Phil's temper improved. He was more respectful to his uncle; and, one evening after supper, actually volunteered to read aloud to him from his new book. Richard Hunt was but little interested, however, and was soon snoring an accompaniment to his nephew's not unmusical voice. Nevertheless his attempts to conquer the sullen indifference with which he had invariably treated his uncle, who certainly did little to merit the boy's respect, met with their own reward. Phil was happier, as we all are for trying to do right, and Millie's face grew daily more and more cheerful. "If uncle would but be always sober and give me enough money to keep house with properly, how happy we should be!" she thought. She had heard no more from their landlady respecting their arrears of rent, but she noticed that her uncle's watch was missing, and rightly guessed that it had been pawned to meet the debt. August was not yet over, when one day Phil, coming in to dinner, found Miss Crawford and Millie together.