“There she was when her father came home. Her feet were stretched out upon the hearth, and he stumbled over them. That waked her. By the glimmering light of the embers something could be seen hanging from Mr. Peg’s hand.
“‘Have you got home, father?—I believe I got asleep waiting for you. What have you got in your hand?—Fish!—Oh, father!—’
“You should have heard the change of little Sue’s voice when she spoke that. Generally her way of speaking was low and gentle like the twilight, but those two words were like a burst of sunshine.
“‘Yes, dear—Blow up the fire, so you can see them—I’ve been to Mrs. Binch’s—I’ve been all over town, a’most—and Mrs. Binch’s boy had just come in with some, and she gave me a fine string of ’em—nice blue fish—there.’
“Susan had made a light blaze, and then she and the cobbler admired and turned and almost smelt of the fish, for joy.
“‘And shall we have one for supper, father?’
“‘Yes dear—You have some coals and I’ll get the fish ready right off. Has mother had all she wanted to-day?’
“‘Yes, father—Mrs. Lucy sent her some soup, and she had plenty. And I saved the bread from dinner, father, isn’t it good; and there’s more porridge too.’
“What a bed of coals Sue had made, by the time her father came back with the fish, nicely cleaned and washed. She put it down, and then the two sat over it in the firelight and watched it broil. It was done as nicely as a fish could be done; and Susan fetched the plates, and the salt, and the bread; and then the cobbler gave thanks to God for their supper. And then the two made such a meal! there wasn’t a bone of that fish but was clean picked, nor a grain of salt but what did duty on a sweet morsel. There was not a scrap of bread left from that supper; and I was as glad as anything of my tough nature can be, to know that there were several more fish beside the one eaten. Sue cleared away the things when they had done, ran up to see if her mother was comfortable, and soon ran down again. Her step had changed too.
“‘Now darling,’ said her father, ‘come and let us have our talk by this good firelight.’