"You are fond of reading? I have brought a few books with me, which I hope you will use freely. I shall unpack them by and by."
"That will be delightful," Lois said, with a bright expression of pleasure. "We have not subscribed to the library, because we felt we could hardly spare the money."
They were called to breakfast; and Mrs. Barclay studied again with fresh interest all the family group. No want of capacity and receptive readiness, she was sure; nor of active energy. Sense, and self-reliance, and independence, and quick intelligence, were to be read in the face and manner of each one; good ground to work upon. Still Mrs. Barclay privately shook her head at her task.
"Miss Madge," she said suddenly, "I have been proposing to teach your sister to draw. Would you like to join her?"
Madge seemed too much astonished to answer immediately. Charity spoke up and asked, "To draw what?"
"Anything she likes. Pretty things, and places."
"I don't see what's the use. When you've got a pretty thing, what should you draw it for?"
"Suppose you have not got it."
"Then you can't draw it," said Charity.
"O Charity, you don't understand," cried Lois. "If I had known how to draw, I could have brought you home pictures of the Isles of Shoals last summer."