"What about feeding stock and ploughing and sowing and reaping?"
"Oh, but I should keep men to do all that," was the lofty reply.
"Yes, but you must at least know how it is all done, if you are to make
farming pay. That's why Dick here has to begin at the very bottom and
do all sorts of black work before he can be a great engineer and come
out at the top of the tree."
"And must he have black eyes as well?" asked Nellie pointedly; "and
have his face spoiled?"
"No, little one, that is another matter. Whatman ought to be sent
about his business and should be, if I had the management. But a black
eye is no disgrace when you get it for resisting evil."
"There's a verse that's just meant for you, Dick," said Mrs. Dainton
kindly, "and you ought to learn it by heart. 'Consider Him who endured
such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be weary and
faint in your minds.' I'll show it to you after tea."
"And then, as it is a wet night, you can all have a game with Pat in
the kitchen before Dick goes to school."
"School at night," asked Teddy in amazement. "And after working all
day. Haven't you learned enough?"
"Not half," said Dick, laughing at the comical tone of dismay.
"There's a world-full of things I don't know anything about, especially
drawing and hard sums.
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