Alice returned to her new companion, and Edward and Pablo continued to unload the cart.
"Well, Pablo, I suppose you will allow that, now that you know she is a girl, she is handsomer than you?"
"Oh yes," replied Pablo, "very handsome girl; but too much girl for handsome boy."
At last every thing was out of the cart, the iron chest dragged into Pablo's room, and Billy put into his stable and given his supper, which he had well earned, for the cart had been very heavily loaded. They then all sat down to supper, Edward saying to their new acquaintance,
"So I find that I am to have another sister instead of another brother.
Now you will tell me your name?"
"Yes; Clara is my name."
"And why did you not tell me that you were a girl?"
"I did not like, because I was in boys' clothes, and felt ashamed; indeed I was too unhappy to think about what I was. My poor dear father!" and she burst into tears.
Alice and Edith kissed her and consoled her, and she became calm again. After supper was over, they busied themselves making arrangements for her sleeping in their room, and then they went to prayers.
"We have much to be thankful for, my dears," said Edward. "I am sure I feel that I have been in great danger, and I only wish that I had been more useful than I have been; but it has been the will of God, and we must not arraign his decrees. Let us return thanks for his great mercies, and bow in submission to his dispensations, and pray that he will give peace to poor little Clara, and soften her affliction."