Ailie nodded.
"Have some breakfast d'rectly, won't ye? I've a little cleanin' up to do first, but 'twon't take long. And—well, I'd like to see you doin' the same thing, Ailie," added Job, with a glance at Ailie's dusky face and fingers. "I'll give you some water, an' a piece of soap."
"Mother liked me to wash," said Ailie, and Job carried the old tin basin to her closet, well pleased at her answer. There he left her, and thence she emerged in a few minutes, a very different-looking child, with fresh skin, and hair smoothed back as neatly as was possible without the aid of a brush. Ailie had tried the effect of water instead, which gave it a plastered appearance, but added to its smoothness.
"That's a deal better," said Job. "And now we'll come to breakfast."
He propped up the broken chair with a piece of wood kept on purpose, and balanced himself upon it, while Ailie took her seat on the foot of the bedstead, and the table stood between them. There was a stale half-loaf upon it, and a tiny piece of butter, and a small battered teapot containing some weak tea. Ailie was sure she had never tasted so delicious a meal in all her life, and Job would not stint her, though he took less than usual himself, to make up for her ravenous appetite. She asked for nothing, and would have left off uncomplainingly, but the hungry eyes were too much for his fortitude, and he gave her as much as he thought good for her.
"Mayn't I wash up?" asked Ailie, seeing him begin to do so. "Mother used to let me help her, ever so long ago—afore we had to pawn everything."
"Why, ye don't know how," said Job, looking down at the child.
"I'd soon learn," responded Ailie, and Job Kippis nodded his head.
"So ye shall, deary, sure enough. Never does nobody no harm to learn. I'm all for learnin', ain't I, when we've means to do it? So there now, I'll get to my work, an' you'll tidy up the room for me, like as useful a maid as ever I see."
Ailie smiled acquiescence, and Job Kippis settled himself to his tailoring, casting an occasional side-glance at the little maid's movements. She did not seem at a loss. First the chair was pulled back against the wall, and the table was with some difficulty restored to its usual place. Then Ailie set to work to re-make the bed. Job had made it already that morning, but he said nothing to disturb Ailie's pleasure in being useful; he only gave one or two furtive looks, a smile twitching his lips.