"Thank you," said Cyril, "but——"
"Jim, take this youngster to the cook," said Mr. Ellison to his errand-boy, "and tell him to give the lad something to eat and drink."
"Yes, boss. Come along." The last two words were addressed to Cyril, who followed him from the office immediately.
The boy conducted Cyril into a large room in the great house where the master saw-miller lived with such of his men as were unmarried. Then a man wearing a white cap placed a dish of hot meat, bread, and coffee before him, at one end of a very long table.
Just as Cyril was sitting down to the meal Ben and his father entered, and came quickly towards him.
"Here he is, father. Here is the boy whose brave true words spoke a message from heaven to my soul," said Ben.
The old man laid a hard but gentle hand on Cyril's head.
"God bless you!" he said fervently; "God bless you!"
"Thank you," said Cyril in a low tone. He felt very glad to think he had done so much good, but it was a little embarrassing too; so he hastened to speak of other things. "Green—I mean Ben," said he, "aren't you going to have some breakfast? Oh, yes, here comes the cook with another plate."
The man with the white cap laid the plate before Ben, regarding him curiously as he did so.