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mouths.”
    â€œThey don’t eat much,” she said. “The girl eats no more than a bird, and she’s a good little thing. I’m glad to have a girl in the house. She helps in ever so many ways.”
    â€œThat may be,” said Big John, “but what about the boy?”
    â€œTom’s not a bad boy,” she said. “He and the girl are different from our children, but I’m fond of them—”
    â€œDifferent?” said Big John. “How do you mean?”
    â€œTheir father was a schoolmaster, you know,” she said. “They can read and write.”
    â€œThey can, can they?” said Big John. “Maybe they think that makes them better than us. But they’re not too good to live in my house and eat my bread.”
    â€œPlease!” whispered his wife. “They’ll hear you.”
    â€œLet them hear me, then,” he said. “This is their last night under my roof. Out they go tomorrow!”

2. Tom and Dinah
    In the morning Big John had breakfast with his wife and children. They ate by the fire.
    Tom and Dinah ate in the pantry, among the pots and pans. It was cold there, but they were glad to be alone together. They talked in whispers.
    â€œDid you hear him last night?” asked Dinah. “‘Out they go tomorrow.’ That’s what he said.”
    â€œI heard him,” said Tom.
    â€œWhat are we going to do?” she asked.
    â€œSleep under the trees,” he said. “Eat strawberries and cream.”
    â€œIn the winter? That’s foolish!” she said.
    â€œI was only trying to make you laugh,” he said. “Remember how we used to laugh and be foolish together?”
    â€œThere’s nothing to laugh about in this house,” she said. “Do you know it’s three days till Christmas? And I’ve nothing to give you.”
    â€œI’ve nothing to give you, either,” he said, “but some day I’ll give you a hundred presents all at once.”
    The door opened. Jacky put his head into the pantry. “I hear you out there,” he said. “I hear you whispering your secrets.”
    Tom and Dinah said nothing.
    â€œMa was easy on you,” said Jacky, “but it won’t be the same now that Pa is home. Pa doesn’t like any beggars around.”
    â€œWe’re not beggars,” said Tom.
    â€œYou will be, when Pa turns you out of the house,” said Jacky. “Down the road you’ll go, like two bobtailed birds. The wind will be blowing and the snow will be flying, and how will you like that?”
    He shut the pantry door. In a moment he was back. “Pa wants to see you now.”
    Tom and Dinah looked at each other. Without a word they got up and followed Jacky.
    Big John sat by the fire. He said to Dinah, “My wife says you help her with the work here.”
    â€œYes, sir,” she said.
    â€œMy wife says you’re a good girl,” he said.
    â€œI try to be, sir,” she said.

    â€œShe says she needs a girl.” Big John looked at Tom. “But seven boys is enough.”
    â€œYes, sir,” said Tom.
    â€œDid your father leave you any money?” asked Big John.
    â€œNo, sir,” said Tom.
    â€œYou look able to work,” said Big John. “I’ve got friends in London. One of them might have work for a boy your size. How does that sound to you?”
    â€œVery good, sir,” said Tom. “What kind of work would it be?”
    â€œI couldn’t say,” said Big John. “I’d have to talk that over with my friends. One of these days I’ll take you down to London, and we’ll see what we can do.”
    Tom was too surprised to answer.
    Afterward, when he and Dinah were alone in the pantry, he said, “Did you hear Uncle John? He’s not going to turn us out. He’s going to be kind to us.”
    â€œIf he takes you to London, I want to go, too,” said Dinah. “I