"Nothing, much. Only trying to put things a little in order."
"You," said Mrs. Laval. "Leave that, my darling. You cannot. There will be somebody to do it by and by. But I wish I had somebody here now, to make gruel, or porridge, or something, for those poor people. They are without any comforts."
Mrs. Laval looked puzzled.
"Are they better?" Matilda asked.
"Two of them are unwell; indeed they are all ill, more or less; but the men are really bad, I think."
"If I had some meal, I could make gruel," said Matilda. "I know how. I have made it for—I have made it at home, often."
"Could you?" said Mrs. Laval. "There must be some meal here somewhere."
She went down to search for it. But it was found presently that she did not know meal when she saw it; and Matilda's help was needed to decide which barrel held the article.
"I am a useless creature," Mrs. Laval said, as she watched Matilda getting some meal out. "If you can manage that, darling, I will be for ever obliged to you, and so will those poor people. It is really good to know how to do things. Why, what have you done with all the dishes and irons that were standing about here? You have got the place in order, I declare! What have you done with them, dear?"
"They are put away. Shall I put on a pot and boil some potatoes, Mrs. Laval? I can; and there is a great piece of cold beef in the pantry."