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The Stokesley Secret


by Charlotte M。 Yonge







CHAPTER I。



〃How can a pig pay the rent?〃

The question seemed to have been long under consideration; to judge by the manner in which it came out of the pouting lips of that sturdy young five…year…old gentleman; David Merrifield; as he sat on a volume of the great Latin Dictionary to raise him to a level with the tea…table。

Long; however; as it had been considered; it was unheeded on account of one more interesting to the general public assembled round the table。

〃I say!〃 hallooed out a tall lad of twelve holding aloft a slice taken from the dish in the centre of the table; 〃I say! what do you call this; Mary?〃

〃Bread and butter; Master Sam;〃 replied rather pettishly the maid who had brought in the big black kettle。

〃Bread and butter!  I call it bread and scrape!〃 solemnly said Sam。

〃It only has butter in the little holes of it; not at the top; Miss Fosbrook;〃 said; in an odd pleading kind of tone; a stout good… humoured girl of thirteen; with face; hair; and all; a good deal like a nice comfortable apricot in a sunny place; or a good respectable Alderney cow。

〃I think it would be better not to grumble; Susan; my dear;〃 replied; in a low voice; a pleasant dark…eyed young lady who was making tea; but the boys at the bottom of the table neither heard nor heeded。

〃Mary; Mary; quite contrary;〃 was Sam's cry; in so funny a voice; that Miss Fosbrook could only laugh; 〃is this bread and scrape the fare for a rising young family of genteel birth?〃

〃Oh!〃 with a pathetic grimace; cried the pretty…faced though sandy… haired Henry; the next to him in age; 〃if our beloved parents knew how their poor deserted infants are treated〃

〃A fine large infant you are; Hal!〃 exclaimed Susan。

〃I'm an infant; you're an infant; Miss Fosbrook is an infanta babby。〃

〃For shame; Hal!〃 cried the more civilized Sam; clenching his fist。

〃No; no; Sam;〃 interposed Miss Fosbrook; laughing; 〃your brother is quite right; I am as much an infant in the eye of the law as little George。〃

〃There; I said I would!〃 cried Henry; 〃didn't I; Sam?〃

〃Didn't you what?〃 asked Susan; not in the most elegant English。

〃Why; Martin Greville twitted us with having a girl for a governess;〃 said Henry; 〃he said it was a shame we should be taken in to think her grown up; when she was not twenty; and I said I would find out; and now I have done it!〃 he cried triumphantly。

〃Everybody is quite welcome to know my age;〃 said Miss Fosbrook; the colour rising in her cheek。  〃I was nineteen on the last of April; but I had rather you had asked me point blank; Henry; than tried to find out in a sidelong way。〃

Henry looked a little surly; and Elizabeth; a nice…looking girl; who sat next to him and was nearest in age; said; 〃Oh! but that would have been so rude; Miss Fosbrook。〃

〃Rude; but honest;〃 said Miss Fosbrook; and Susan's honest eyes twinkled; as much as to say; 〃I like that;〃 but she said; 〃I don't believe Hal meant it。〃

〃I don't care!〃 said Sam。  〃Come; Mary; this plate is donemore bread and butter; d'ye hear? not bread and gammon!〃 and he began the chant; in which six voices joined till it became a roar; pursuing Mary down to the lower regions:…


〃Thick butter and thin bread; Or it shall be thrown at Mary's head; Thick bread and thin butter; Is only fit for the ducks in the gutter。〃


Elizabeth looked appealingly at Miss Fosbrook; but Miss Fosbrook was leaning back in her chair; her handkerchief up to her mouth; in fits of laughing; seeing which; the children bawled louder and louder; and Elizabeth only abstained from stopping her ears because she knew that was the sure way to be held fast; and have it bellowed into them。

Little Annie blundered in her eagerness upon


〃Thick bread and thin butter;〃


whereupon there was a general outcry。  〃Nanny likes thick bread and thin butter; let her have it!〃 and Sam; Henry; and Johnnie directed a whole battery of their remaining crusts towards her cup; which would presently have been upset into her lap but for Miss Fosbrook; who recovered herself; and said gravely; 〃This must not be; Sam; I shall send you away from the table if you do。〃

Sam wanted to see whether she would; and threw the crust。

〃Sam;〃 she said very decidedly; though there was a quiver in her voice; as if she were frightened。

Sam looked up; and did not move。

〃Oh; Miss Fosbrook!〃 cried Susan; 〃we were all just as bad。  Don't punish Sam!〃

〃It is time that Sam should show that he has the feelings of a manly boy;〃 said Miss Fosbrook; looking full at him。  〃He knows that I must keep my word; and that I have no strength to fight with him。Sam; go and finish your tea on the window…seat。〃

Her clear brown eyes looked full at him as she spoke; and all the young population watched to see what he would do。  He hesitated a moment; then took up his cup and plate; and sat down in the window… seat。

Miss Fosbrook breathed freely; and she had almost said; 〃Thank you; Sam;〃 but she did not think this was the time; and collecting herself; she said; 〃Fun is all very well; and I hope we shall have plenty; but we ought not to let it grow riotous; and I don't think it was of a good sort when it was complaining of the food provided for us。〃

The children were all rather subdued by what she said; some felt a little cross; and some rather ashamed; and when Mary brought back the dish replenished with slices; no one said a word as to whether the butter were thick or thin。  The silence seemed to David a favourable occasion for renewing the great question; 〃How does a pig pay the rent?〃

There was a general giggle; and again Miss Fosbrook was as bad as any:  while David; looking affronted; tapped the table with the handle of his spoon; and repeated; 〃I want to know。〃

〃I'll tell you; Davy man;〃 began Henry; first recovering。  〃The pig is a very sagacious animal; especially in Hampshire; and so he smells out wherever the bags of money are sown underground; and digs them up with his nose。  Then he swings them on his back; and gives a curl of his tail and a wink of his eye; and lays them down just before the landlord's feet; and he's so cunning; that not an inch will he budge till he's got the receipt; with a stamp upon it; on his snout。〃

〃No; now is that a true story?〃 cried little Annie; who was the only person except David grave enough to speak; while Sam; exploding in the window; called out; 〃Why; don't you know that's why pigs have rings in their noses?〃


〃There was a lady loved a swine;    'Honey;' says she; I'll give you a silver trough。'    'Hunks!' says he;〃


continued Hal; 〃that shows his disinterestedness。  Oh; werry sagacious haminals is pigs!〃

〃For shame; Hal;〃 cried Elizabeth; 〃to confuse the children with such nonsense。〃

〃Why; don't you think I know how the rent is paid?  I've seen Papa on rent…day hundreds of times。〃

〃But the pigs; Hal; did you ever see the pigs?〃

〃Thousands of times。〃

〃Bringing bags of gold?  O Hal!  Hal!〃

〃I want to know;〃 continued David; who had been digesting the startling fact; 〃how the pig swings the bag on his back? I don't think ours could do it。〃

〃It's a sort made on purpose;〃 said Hal。

〃Made on purpose by Mr。 Henry Merrifield;〃 said Susan; at last able to speak。  〃Don't believe one word; David dear; Hal is laughing at you。〃

〃But how does a pig do it?〃 asked David; returning to the charge。

〃Why do you want to know; my dear?〃 asked Miss Fosbrook。

〃Mary's sister said so。〃

〃I know;〃 exclaimed Susan; 〃Davy went out with the nursery children to…day; and they went to see Mary's sister。  Her husband is drowned because he was a sailor; and the Mermaid went to South America; and there are five little tiny children。〃

〃Of the mermaid's?〃 cried Harry。

〃No; no; the Mermaid was the ship; and it was wrecked; and they have noticing to live upon; and she takes in washing; and is such a nice woman。  Mamma said we might take them our old winter frocks; and so David went there。〃

〃And she said if she had a pig to pay the rent she should be quite happy;〃 said David。  〃How could he?〃

〃I suppose;〃 said Miss Fosbrook; 〃the pig would live on her garden… stuff; her cabbage…le

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