At last Miss Glidden appeared at the door, and inquired what was going on. Monkey Roe ran up the steps and informed her.
"It's entirely out of mercy," said he, "and you'd be doing a benevolent thing to give him as many scissors as possible to sharpen."
Miss Glidden invited him in, and soon collected three pairs of scissors and a pair of shears, which she requested him to take out and have ground for her.
"Is this all you have?" said he, in a tone signifying that he considered it a very small crop.
"There may be more," said she. "Biddy"—to the servant—"bring here any scissors you have that need grinding."
Biddy brought from the kitchen a pair that were used to trim lamps.
"Is this all, Biddy?" said Monkey.
"I don't know—I'll see, sir," said Biddy; and Monkey followed her to the kitchen.
Next to it he found a sort of combined work-room and store-room, the door of which stood open, and, looking over its contents, soon discovered a pair of tinsmith's shears, a pair of sheep-shears, a drawing-knife, a cooper's adze, and a rusty broad-axe, all of which, with the family carving-knife, brought by Biddy, he added to the collection, and came down the steps with them in his arms.
"Here, Holman," said he, "Miss Glidden wants you to sharpen these few things for the good cause."