“He did it o’ purpose, Miss,” cried Maria viciously.
“That will do, Maria,” said Helen with dignity. “Mrs Millet, see that these broken pieces are removed. Dexter, come down to the drawing-room with me.”
Dexter sighed and followed, feeling the while that after all the Union School was a happy place, and that he certainly was not happy here.
“It is very unfortunate that you should meet with such accidents, Dexter,” said Helen, as soon as they were alone.
“Yes,” he said piteously, “ain’t it? I say—”
“Well, Dexter!”
“It’s no good. I know what he wants to do. He said he wanted to make a gentleman of me, but you can’t do it, and I’d better be ’prenticed to a shoemaker, same as lots of boys have been.”
Helen said nothing, but looked at the boy with a troubled gaze, as she wondered whether her father’s plan was possible.
“You had better go out in the garden again, Dexter,” she said after a time.
The trouble had been passing off, and Dexter leaped up with alacrity; but as he reached the window he saw Dan’l crossing the lawn, and he stopped short, turned, and came back to sit down with a sigh.