Two of the boys
spelt words laboriously from ancient "readers," and Jerry set out to
look for the lost sheep again. Marcella was packing her swag a little
sadly. She wished they could stay at Loose End. Obviously it looked as
though Loose End could not support its own family without the burden of
another. But Mr. Twist thought differently.
"What do you say to stopping here, ma?" he said, looking at Marcella
through the trellis. "I've been talking to your boss and he's willing if
you say the word."
Marcella straightened herself up and looked at him.
"I'd like nothing better," she told him simply.
"Right-o, then. That's settled," he said, and they discussed details.
Rather shamefacedly he offered them five pounds a month and rations. He
said they were worth more, but he could not afford it. If they liked to
throw in their lot with his and try to make Loose End's run of bad luck
change, he would share the good when it came. They accepted his offer
without discussion. Then he asked if they would live at the Homestead or
in a shepherd's hut about half a mile away, near the lake.
"It's not a bad little place. I had two shepherds before the sheep got
drowned. Then it was no use them staying. I don't think there's much in
the way of furniture--"
They looked at each other. In each other's eyes they saw a plea to be
alone together in their new world, and said, in a breath, that they
would live in the hut.
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