CHAPTER V.
The captain was carrying a basket. Lulu asked if she might know what was in it.
“Yes,” he said; “it contains a few delicacies for a poor sick woman whom we are going to see.”
They had been pursuing a path running parallel with the highway, and which had led them into a wood, but now the captain turned aside into another, leading to a hut standing some distance back from the road.
“Is it in that little cabin she lives?” asked Lulu.
“Yes; a poor place, isn’t it? hardly occupying so much space as one of our parlors. And there is quite a large family of children.”
“I’m sorry for them; it must be dreadful to live so,” said Lulu, her tones full of heartfelt sympathy. “But, papa, what makes them so poor?”
“I suppose they had no early advantages of education—they are very ignorant at all events—but the principal trouble is idleness and drunkenness on the part of the husband and father. It makes it very difficult to help them too, as he takes every thing he can lay his hands on and spends it for drink.”
“Oh, I can never, never be thankful enough that my father is so different from that!” cried Lulu, with another glad, loving look up into his face.
He only smiled in return and pressed the hand he held, for they had now reached the door of the cabin and it was instantly opened by one of the children, who had seen their approach from the window.