"No," said the lady, "do not deceive yourself; I assure you that I will not. That, instead of encouraging you to be industrious, would teach you to be idle."
Jem did not quite understand what she meant by this, but answered, "I'm sure I don't wish to be idle. If you knew all, you'd know I did not."
"How do you mean, if I knew all?"
"Why, I mean, if you knew about Lightfoot."
"Who is Lightfoot?"
"Why, mammy's horse," added Jem, looking out of the window. "I must make haste home and feed him, afore it get dark; he'll wonder what's gone with me."
"Let him wonder a few minutes longer," said the lady, "and tell me the rest of your story."
"I've no story, ma'am, to tell, but as how mammy says he must go to the fair, Monday fortnight, to be sold, if she can't get the two guineas for her rent; and I should be main sorry to part with him, for I love him, and he loves me; so I'll work for him, I will, all I can. To be sure, as mammy says, I have no chance, such a little fellow as I am, of earning two guineas afore Monday fortnight."
"But are you in earnest willing to work?" said the lady. "You know there is a great deal of difference between picking up a few stones, and working steadily every day and all day long."
"But," said Jem, "I would work every day and all day long."