The woman's mouth opened.

“Dear me,” she said, “just think of him putting things together like that, an' him so little?”

Then she looked up at the man with a sort of wonder.

“Why, you understand him better than I do, an' I'm his mother. Maybe you're married an' got a little boy of your own.”

“I was never married,” replied the man.

“Then maybe you've got a little baby brother.”

“No.”

“Was there never any little children at your house?”

“My father's house,” replied the School-teacher, “is full of little children.”

“Just little children that he takes care of?”