Gus nodded, and his eyes sparkled with pleasure. It was rare good fortune for him to have the chance of earning a shilling.
"Can I do the work, do you think?" he asked anxiously. "Is it easy?"
"Oh, your part's easy enough," said Lucas, with a laugh. "All you've got to do is to obey orders. Now listen to me. Jack will bring you this evening to meet me. You must leave home at six o'clock—not a minute later. Now mind, I depend on your coming, and you must not disappoint me. If you've got the baby to mind, you can give it to Lucy, and she will look after it. Now promise me that you will come."
"I'll come," said Gus; "I'll be sure to come; but what am I to do?"
"Never mind what you have to do; I'll show you when you come. You are to do whatever I tell you, do you hear?"
"Yes," said Gus; and with that Lucas dismissed him, and the boy ran back to the house.
Gus wondered many times that day what the work could be for which Lucas needed his help. In the afternoon, Sally Dent gave the baby to his care, and when evening came, she lay in a drunken slumber. Gus amused the baby and kept the other children quiet till it wanted but a few minutes to six o'clock. Then, with the baby in his arms, he knocked at Lucy's door.
Lucy opened the door a little way and looked out; then, seeing it was Gus, she opened the door wider, and invited him to come in. Jack was seated at the table, hastily devouring a substantial meal.
"So you've come," he said, nodding to Gus; "that's right. We must be off in a minute or two."
"Is Gus going out with you?" asked Lucy in surprise.