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ht； a very long way off； and the frequency of these caused the family income for the week to occasionally fall somewhat low。
One night the walls danced round quicker and quicker till they danced away altogether； and the candle shot up through the ceiling and became a star and the woman knew that it was time to put away her sewing。
〃Jim；〃 she said： she spoke very low； and the boy had to bend over her to hear； 〃if you poke about in the middle of the mattress you'll find a couple of pounds。 I saved them up a long while ago。 That will pay for burying me。 And； Jim； you'll take care of the kid。 You won't let it go to the parish。〃
Jim promised。
〃Say 'S'welp me Gawd；' Jim。〃
〃S'welp me Gawd； mother。〃
Then the woman； having arranged her worldly affairs； lay back ready； and Death struck。
Jim kept his oath。 He found the money； and buried his mother； and then； putting his household goods on a barrow； moved into cheaper apartmentshalf an old shed； for which he paid two shillings a week。
For eighteen months he and the baby lived there。 He left the child at a nursery every morning； fetching it away each evening on his return from work； and for that he paid fourpence a day； which included a limited supply of milk。 How he managed to keep himself and more than half keep the child on the remaining two shillings I cannot say。 I only know that he did it； and that not a soul ever helped him or knew that there was help wanted。 He nursed the child； often pacing the room with it for hours； washed it； occasionally； and took it out for an airing every Sunday。
Notwithstanding all which care； the little beggar； at the end of the time above mentioned； 〃pegged out；〃 to use Jimmy's own words。
The coroner was very severe on Jim。 〃If you had taken proper steps；〃 he said； 〃this child's life might have been preserved。〃 （He seemed to think it would have been better if the child's life had been preserved。 Coroners have quaint ideas！） 〃Why didn't you apply to the relieving officer？〃
〃'Cos I didn't want no relief；〃 replied Jim sullenly。 〃I promised my mother it should never go on the parish； and it didn't。〃
The incident occurred； very luckily； during the dead season； and the evening papers took the case up； and made rather a good thing out of it。 Jim became quite a hero； I remember。 Kind…hearted people wrote； urging that somebodythe ground landlord； or the Government； or some one of that sortought to do something for him。 And everybody abused the local vestry。 I really think some benefit to Jim might have come out of it all if only the excitement had lasted a little longer。 Unfortunately； however； just at its height a spicy divorce case cropped up； and Jim was crowded out and forgotten。
I told the boys this story of mine； after Jephson had done telling his； and； when I had finished； we found it was nearly one o'clock。 So； of course； it was too late to do any more work to the novel that evening。
CHAPTER IV
We held our next business meeting on my houseboat。 Brown was opposed at first to my going down to this houseboat at all。 He thought that none of us should leave town while the novel was still on hand。
MacShaughnassy； on the contrary； was of opinion that we should work better on a houseboat。 Speaking for himself； he said he never felt more like writing a really great work than when lying in a hammock among whispering leaves； with the deep blue sky above him； and a tumbler of iced claret cup within easy reach of his hand。 Failing a hammock； he found a deck chair a great incentive to mental labour。 In the interests of the novel； he strongly recommended me to take down with me at least one comfortable deck chair； and plenty of lemons。
I could not myself see any reason why we should not be able to think as well on a houseboat as anywhere else； and accordingly it was settled that I should go down and establish myself upon the thing； and that the others should visit me there from time to time； when we would sit round and toil。
This houseboat was Ethelbertha's idea。 We had spent a day； the summer before； on one belonging to a friend of mine； and she had been enraptured with the life。 Everything was on such a delightfully tiny scale。 You lived in a tiny little room； you slept on a tiny little bed； in a tiny； tiny little bedroom； and you cooked your little dinner by a tiny little fire； in the tiniest little kitchen that ever you did see。 〃Oh； it must be lovely； living on a houseboat；〃 said Ethelbertha； with a gasp of ecstasy； 〃it must be like living in a doll's house。〃
Ethelbertha was very youngridiculously young； as I think I have mentioned beforein those days of which I am writing； and the love of dolls； and of the gorgeous dresses that dolls wear； and of the many…windowed but inconveniently arranged houses that dolls inhabit… …or are supposed to inhabit； for as a rule they seem to prefer sitting on the roof with their legs dangling down over the front door； which has always appeared to me to be unladylike： but then； of course； I am no authority on doll etiquettehad not yet； I think； quite departed from her。 Nay； am I not sure that it had not？ Do I not remember； years later； peeping into a certain room； the walls of which are covered with works of art of a character calculated to send any aesthetic person mad； and seeing her； sitting on the floor； before a red brick mansion； containing two rooms and a kitchen； and are not her hands trembling with delight as she arranges the three real tin plates upon the dresser？ And does she not knock at the real brass knocker upon the real front door until it comes off； and I have to sit down beside her on the floor and screw it on again？
Perhaps； however； it is unwise for me to recall these things； and bring them forward thus in evidence against her； for cannot she in turn laugh at me？ Did not I also assist in the arrangement and appointment of that house beautiful？ We differed on the matter of the drawing…room carpet； I recollect。 Ethelbertha fancied a dark blue velvet； but I felt sure； taking the wall…paper into consideration； that some shade of terra…cotta would harmonise best。 She agreed with me in the end； and we manufactured one out of an old chest protector。 It had a really charming effect； and gave a delightfully warm tone to the room。 The blue velvet we put in the kitchen。 I deemed this extravagance； but Ethelbertha said that servants thought a lot of a good carpet； and that it paid to humour them in little things； when practicable。
The bedroom had one big bed and a cot in it； but I could not see where the girl was going to sleep。 The architect had overlooked her altogether： that is so like an architect。 The house also suffered from the inconvenience common to residences of its class； of possessing no stairs； so that to move from one room to another it was necessary to burst your way up through the ceiling； or else to come outside and climb in through a window； either of which methods must be fatiguing when you come to do it often。
Apart from these drawbacks； however； the house was one that any doll agent would have been justified in describing as a 〃most desirable family residence〃； and it had been furnished with a lavis