Jane's face flushed also. "It is more than I expected, William," she said. "I fancied you would have three."
"I think the master fixed the sum," said William.
"The master? Do you mean Mr. Ashley?"
"We never say 'Mr. Ashley' in the manufactory; we say 'the master.' Mr. Lynn was paying the wages to-night. I heard them say that sometimes Mr. Lynn paid them, and sometimes James Meeking. Those two black boys have half-a-crown apiece. He left me to the last, and when the rest were gone, he looked at me and took up three shillings. Then he seemed to hesitate, and suddenly he locked the desk, went into the master's room, and spoke with him. He came back in a minute, unlocked the desk, and gave me four shillings. 'Thee hast not earned it,' he said, 'but I think thee has done thy best. Thee will have the same each week, so long as thee does so.'"
Jane held the four shillings, and felt that she was growing quite rich. The rest crowded round to look. "Can't we have a nice dinner to-morrow with it?" said one.
"I think we must," said Jane cheerily. "A nice dinner for once in a way. What shall it be?"
"Roast beef," called out Frank.
"Pork with crackling," suggested Janey. "That of Mrs. Reece's yesterday was so good."
"Couldn't we have fowls and a jam pudding?" asked Gar.
Jane smiled and kissed him. All the suggestions were beyond her purse. "We will have a meat pudding," she said; "that's best." And the children cheerfully acquiesced. They had implicit faith in their mother; they knew that what she said was best, would be best.