`Never mind, old woman,' I said, putting an arm round her,

for her mouth was trembling, and she was crying more than laughing.

`It won't be always like this. Just wait till we're a bit better off.'

Just then a black boy we had (I must tell you about him some other time)

came sidling along by the wall, as if he were afraid somebody was going

to hit him -- poor little devil! I never did.

`What is it, Harry?' said Mary.

We knew that he could hear and see things long before we could.