"Drink some first, Martha, my child," said her father, taking the bowl and holding it towards her. She obeyed him, and seemed to enjoy the draught, as if she had wanted it very much indeed; and then he drank, and it seemed to do him so much good that the children felt quite joyous as they looked at them both.
"Now eat the cakes," said Edward; and as soon as each had taken one he set the plate down, that they might not be hurried, and ran to get the hats, for the donkey-chaise drove up at the moment.
Laura kissed her little brother and sister very affectionately, as she tied their hats for them, and then asked the old man if he and his daughter had far to go?
He said they were still thirty miles from home, and that they had walked all the way from London, where they had gone, hoping to get some money that was owing him, and besides, to meet his son, whose ship was expected; but he had been disappointed in both his hopes, and, what was worse, he feared his poor boy's ship had been wrecked, and he should never see him again.
"Poor sailor boy!" said Kate.
"But do not despair," said Laura. "If you had waited a little longer he might have come."
"I waited too long," he replied; "for our money is all spent,—we have none left, and only trust to selling a few balls and pin-cushions my poor girl has made, to get a lodging to-night and a bit of bread to-morrow."
"And have you no other son?" asked Laura.
"I have another, Lady," said he; "but he's the same as dead to me. He got into wild ways after he had served his apprenticeship, and I was harsh to him, and he left his home, and I have never heard of him since. Many misfortunes fell on me afterwards. Yes, yes, I was too harsh."
The old man looked down gloomily. In a minute, however, he raised his head and said, "But God bless you for your kind hearts; we are so refreshed by this sweet milk and these cakes, that we shall walk on to Summerton quite heartily. It's the nearest town, they tell me."