"Has your home always been here, Fairy?" said Mr. Carleton, after a few minutes' pause.
Fleda said, "No, Sir," and there stopped; and then seeming to think that politeness called upon her to say more, she added
"I have lived with grandpa ever since father left me here, when he was going away among the Indians; I used to be always with him before."
"And how long ago is that?"
"It is four years, Sir; more, I believe. He was sick when he came back, and we never went away from Queechy again."
Mr. Carleton looked again silently at the child, who had given him these pieces of information with a singular, grave propriety of manner; and even as it were reluctantly.
"And what do you read, Fairy?" he said, after a minute.
"Stories of fairy-land?"
"No," said Fleda; "I haven't any. We haven't a great many books there are only a few up in the cupboard, and the Encyclopaedia; father had some books, but they are locked up in a chest. But there is a great deal in the Encyclopaedia."
"The Encyclopaedia!" said Mr. Carleton; "what do you read in that? what can you find to like there?"
"I like all about the insects, and birds, and animals; and about flowers, and lives of people, and curious things. There are a great many in it."