‘What’s the meaning of that?’ asked Tim, opening his eyes widely.

’Father said it meant I was to stand to my word like a man, but not swear about it.  If I said Ay, to mean ay; and if I said No, to mean no, and stick to it.’

‘There’d be no room for telling lies, I reckon,’ said Tim reflectively.

‘Of course not,’ replied Stephen.

’That ‘ud never answer down yonder,’ said Tim, nodding towards the distant village.  ’I tell thee what, lad, I’ll come and quarter with thee, and help thee to be master.  It ’ud be prime.  Only maybe the victuals wouldn’t suit me.  Last Sunday, afore thy father’s buryin’, we’d a dinner of duck and green peas, and leg of lamb, and custard pudden, and ale.  Martha doesn’t get a dinner like that for thee, I reckon.’

‘No,’ answered Stephen shortly.

‘Maybe it wouldn’t suit.  But what more is there in thy book?’ asked Tim, whose curiosity was aroused; and Stephen, proud of his new accomplishment,—­a rare one in those days among his own class,—­would not lose the opportunity given him by Tim’s inquiry for the display of his learning.  He brought out his Bible with alacrity, and read his chapter in a loud, clear, sing-song tone, while Tim overlooked him, with his red face growing redder, and his eyebrows arched in amazement; and Martha, leaning against the door-post, glanced triumphantly at his wonder.  Already, though his father had been dead only a week, Stephen began to miscall many of the harder words; but his hearers were not critical, and the performance gave unbounded satisfaction.

‘That beats me!’ cried Tim.  ’What a headpiece thee must have, Stephen!  But what does it all mean, lad?  Is it all English like?’

‘How can I know?’ answered Stephen, somewhat sadly; ’there’s nobody to learn me now; and it’s very hard.  There’s the Pharisees, Tim, and Raca; I don’t know who they are.’

The conversation was stopped by Martha suddenly starting bolt upright, and dropping two or three hurried curtseys.  The boys looked up from their book quickly, and saw a young lady passing through the wicket and coming up the garden walk, with a smile upon her pleasant face as she met their gaze.

‘My boys,’ she said, in a soft, kindly voice, ’I’ve been sitting on the bank yonder, behind your cottage; and I heard one of you reading a chapter in the Bible.  Which of you was it?’

‘It was him,’ cried Tim and Martha together, pointing at Stephen.

‘And you said you had no one to teach you,’ continued the lady.  ’Now would you learn well, if I promised to teach you?’

Stephen looked up speechlessly into the smiling face before him.  He had never read of the angels, and scarcely knew that there were such beings; but he felt as if this fair and sweet-looking lady, with her gentle voice, and the kindly eyes meeting his own, was altogether of a different order to themselves.

‘I am Mr. Wyley’s niece,’ she added, ’and I am come to live at Botfield for a while.  Could you manage to come down to Mr. Wyley’s house sometimes for a lesson?’