Her husband looked rather alarmed at first. "I don't say I don't like it, Mary," he said, rather solemnly, "but hot suppers is an extravagance I can't abide."
"It won't cost above a penny more than the bread and cheese, except the extra trouble, and that's mine and Annie's share towards the new board that you want outside."
Jack had thought he was too tired to eat any supper until he smelt the savoury stew. And probably if there had only been the bread and cheese, he would have gone straight to bed without eating anything, and been less able so do his work the next day. But this light, savoury supper tempted him to eat, and when he went to bed, he slept soundly all night, and was ready to get up in the morning and go to work as usual, which could scarcely have been the case if his mother and sister had not taken their share, by providing a savoury hot supper that was nourishing and digestible.
"I feel as fresh as a daisy, dad. Overtime work don't hurt me," said Jack, when his father asked if he felt tired.
"That's all right, my boy. You worked well last night, and I expect mother's supper helped you along. I've been getting on to-day, but I want you to help me a bit each evening this week."
"Why, of course you do. How am I to get my bike if I don't do a bit of overtime work?" asked Jack.
"Ah, about that bicycle. Did you tell your foreman what I said?"
"Yes, and he is going to bring the machine with him to-morrow, and then I can bring it home for you to see, and ask some other opinion about it."
"Well, that looks straightforward, lad. If the thing is all right, you shall have it, on the understanding that you go to the evening class next winter, and work away at the figures, and do what you can to help me with the job I have got, and perhaps another after it."
But Jack shook his head to this proposal. "No, dad, I'll promise about the evening class for the winter, I've made up my mind about that, and I'll stick to it, though you will have to trust me for it. But I'll just take the money I can earn fair and square, and when I've earned half, I'll have the jigger if it's all right. That's the bargain I've made with Jackson to-day, for I'd rather earn it before I get it. He's going to lend it to me sometimes on a Saturday to ride out a little way, and find out about the road to Fairfield. For as soon as ever I can, I want to go and see how Tom Winn is getting on, and—"