CHAPTER XIV.

EARNEST ENDEAVOURS.

WHEN Tom told his mother the news brought by Jack, and that Mr. Murray and the clergyman had both agreed that he might try for this scholarship, she was quite overcome. For she had begun to blame herself very bitterly for moving so hastily, and thus depriving her children of educational advantages she had scarcely thought of at their true value, until she came here and found the difference in the schools.

Tom had continued his attendance after the fight with Bill Crane, but she felt sure it was rather to please her than from any real interest he took in his work there.

In this, however, she was mistaken. Tom did not say anything about it at home, but the fight with the redoubtable Bill had certainly improved his position with his school-mates. They talked of him among themselves as a "jolly plucky chap," though he did come from "Lunnon," where no boy was supposed to know how to fight. In school, this opinion of him gradually leavened and altered their behaviour towards him, and they were ready to forgive his fluent reading and better writing than their own, in consideration of his being able to stand up to the village bully, of whom every boy had been secretly afraid until Tom braved him.

Without knowing exactly why or how it had come about, Tom found his position at school far more tolerable as time went on than it was at first; and he was gradually becoming oblivious of the noise that disturbed him so much at first. So that when he told his mother of the scholarship plan, he made no complaint about not being able to learn lessons in such a school.

Mrs. Winn had burst into tears when she first heard the wonderful news, and that greatly disconcerted Tom.

"Don't cry, mother, don't cry," he said, putting his arm round her neck and kissing her. "I really do mean to work hard this time, and I daresay Mr. Murray will help me a bit extra, if he sees I'm in downright earnest, for I think he was rather pleased that we went to ask him about it, and he likes Elsie, I know."

"Yes, yes, dear, you will try now, I am sure," said the widow, trying to smile at Tom through her tears. "I am afraid it will be harder work for you this time, than if you had kept steadily on under Mr. Potter; but we must not mind that. And Elsie and I will do all we can to help you."

"Yes, mother, don't be afraid, will you? I really will, for your sake, work hard now. Elsie has got the books you bought for her when she was swatting up for her exam., and I daresay they will help me. I'll take them to school on Monday morning, and ask Mr. Murray to set me some extra lessons in grammar and geography. Now, come and see Jack, mother, before he goes; he is having a bit of bread and cheese before he starts."

Mrs. Winn thanked the boy who was so anxious to make amends for the mischief he had caused a few months before, and Jack started home on his wonderful bicycle, feeling happier than he had for many months past.

"I shall come again soon," he said, as he mounted his iron horse and rode away in the warm dusk of the evening.

"Yes, do," called Tom, Elsie, and little Bobbie, in one breath; and then they went in to talk over once more the alteration in Tom's prospects.

"I will call and see Mr. Murray on Monday," said the widow. And then she heaved a sigh, for she knew it would be quite out of her power to pay for extra lessons for Tom, and she must explain this to the schoolmaster at once, though it should betray her poverty in a fashion that was very painful to her.

There was, however, no help for it, and this news had brought her some consolation that neither of her children could understand, for they did not know how bitterly she had been blaming herself for coming here. But now if it should prove that Tom would be eligible for this scholarship, then her self-reproaches would lose half their sting, and she would feel that for Tom, at least, the move had brought nothing but good.

The country air agreed with all the children, and they were growing strong and vigorous as well as Tom, who seemed to be better than he had ever been in his life before. But it was the want of work that troubled her.

Mrs. Perceval was very pleased with the way she had made her girl's dresses, and had since given her two of her own to do, with which she was so fully satisfied, that she promised to recommend her to other friends.

"But I am only the doctor's wife, you know," she said, laughingly, "and not being a fashionable lady, some of them may think I am not a competent judge of what is the latest thing in dresses."

She did not forget her promise, but most of the ladies she spoke to on Mrs. Winn's behalf always sent their dresses to be made in London, and quite looked down upon a village dressmaker, though she had just come from London, and could easily get the latest fashions and patterns from there.

Some of them recommended their servants to try the new dressmaker who had come to live in Fairfield, and she got a few servant's and children's dresses to make; but her business did not increase as time wore on, as she hoped it would, and sometimes a whole week passed and she would not earn a penny.

This state of things made her very anxious, for although their expenses were now very small, the children were in splendid health, and had good appetites. Fortunately Tom's vegetables served them for many a dinner, with the simple addition of a slice of bread, otherwise they must often have gone hungry. Indeed, she and Elsie often went with only half a meal, in order that the little ones should not go short, each of them pretending that they did not want any more.

Tom had not noticed this for some time; but after Jack's visit, and he had time to think over everything that had passed, he remembered the few words spoken just before they got home after seeing Mr. Murray, and coupling this with what he often heard Elsie say now, that she did not want much dinner or tea, he came to the conclusion that there must be some truth in Jack's surmise, and that Elsie was eating as little as possible that they might not get into debt here, and he resolved to do the same, and try to help his mother that way. But Elsie was too sharp for him.

"No, no, Tom, it won't do for you to go with half a meal when you are working so hard at your books, or in the garden. I don't want so much now because I have so little to do, but with you it is different. I know how hungry I used to be when I was working for my scholarship; and so you must eat, or we shall all be disappointed again when next November comes, and another disappointment will almost kill mother, I am afraid."

"Mr. Murray and Mr. Cotton will be disappointed too, I believe," said Tom, "for I know they quite expect me to win; and Mr. Murray told me to-day he would do all he could to help me. You see, it will be quite an honour for this school if I should get the scholarship. But I could not have gone in for it, if I had had my own way, and not gone to school to please mother—for I shall only have been just the qualifying time when the examination takes place, and I had been at school a month when Jack brought the news. Dear old Jack! He is another who will be disappointed if I don't pass," said Tom.

"But you must pass," insisted his sister; "and that is why you must eat all you can, as well as learn all you can. For mother and me it don't matter, of course, but don't let mother hear you say you cannot eat, or she will think you are going to be ill again, or that it does not suit you to sit close at your books. Oh, Tom, I shall be proud of you, and so will Jack, I know. He will come again soon, I expect, to see how you are getting on."

This hope that Jack would soon pay them another visit was not disappointed, but the lad had brought something besides himself this time on his iron horse. A large parcel was dangling from the front, and Jack took it to Mrs. Winn as a present from his father.

The lady wondered why Jack's father should send her a large ham, but the lad told her a rambling tale about Tom helping him with the rabbit hutch, and his foreman wanted to sell the ham. But Elsie had a keen suspicion that Jack's own pocket-money had been spent in its purchase. But they had a splendid tea of ham and eggs, such a meal as they had not seen for months past. Jack said he had brought the ham to help Tom on with his lessons now, because he had spoiled his chances before through building the rabbit hutch.

They all smiled, though they hardly knew what to make of Jack's tales; still, they were glad to welcome him whenever he came over on Saturday afternoon, which he generally did about once a month after that first visit, which seemed to change Tom's whole life and its outlook.

The fact was, Tom could never quite forget Jack's words about his mother owing money at the shops. Until he heard of this, he had not thought much about the expense his illness must have been, or that he had through this spoiled her business, and that there was no one able to earn a penny all the time he was ill.

But he often thought of it after that talk with Jack, and it made a great impression upon his mind and conduct too, for he now tried to do all he could to spare his mother and sister trouble and expense in every way possible, while his schoolmaster could not say enough in praise of his diligence, and the steady, patient way in which he worked, both at his ordinary school tasks, and those that were set him in addition, to be worked at when he was at home.

And he did not let the garden become weed-grown and neglected through this application to his books. Betsy Gunn had told him that he would never get a decent crop of peas, beans, or anything else if he did not keep the ground free from weeds; and so his garden was kept tidy, though Elsie often spent an hour or two in this work that her brother might not be hindered from his lessons.

So the weeks and months went on, and one day Mrs. Perceval called late in the summer to know how Mrs. Winn was prospering with her business.

"Not very well, ma'am," said Mrs. Winn, hardly able to keep back the tears as she spoke, for she had no work, and knew not when to expect any.

There was also another trouble. Elsie was looking pale, and had lost her appetite the last few days. The rest were well; and Tom seemed to be quite strong again, and was growing very fond of gardening. But Elsie always shared her mother's anxieties now, and she was afraid it was proving too much for her.

Mrs. Perceval suggested that Elsie should come and stay with her for a few days, for her boys were coming home for their holidays, and she would be very useful, if Mrs. Winn could spare her. For such a sensible girl would keep them from mischief when they went out for a long ramble, and there were many ways she could be useful, if she could be spared.

Mrs. Winn was glad enough to accept the offer, for she had no doubt that a week or two with other boys and girls would do Elsie a great deal of good, and it was arranged that the gig should be sent for her on the following Monday.

Elsie was loth to go away and leave her mother with no one to help her; but Mrs. Winn could plead that she had no work in the house just now, and Mrs. Perceval had been so kind she would not like to disoblige her. And these considerations had more weight with Elsie than her own health, or the need there was that she should have some change, and forget for a time the cares and troubles of the home life.

It was the want of work that troubled her as well as her mother; for she knew well enough, that unless her mother could soon get a great deal more work than seemed at all likely now, absolute starvation would stare them in the face. And though she had never said a word of this to her mother, the thought of it haunted her day and night now. If only they could get work, this country life would be very enjoyable, Elsie thought, for she did not know yet what life in the country was like during the winter.

During her stay at Mrs. Perceval's, she almost forgot the home troubles, and grew rosy, and was able to eat anything and everything that was offered to her. For her kind hostess took care that she should spend the greater part of every day in the open air, if it was fine. And this was altogether a new life to the girl, for although they had a garden of their own at the cottage, Elsie did not spend much time in it, there being so much to do to keep the children tidy now their clothes were beginning to wear out, and there was no money to spare to buy new ones.

A good deal of the washing and mending fell to Elsie now, for if her mother was not at work, she was out seeking it. As she said, it would never come to her if she sat at home with her hands folded. And many a weary mile did she walk, hoping for the success that never seemed likely to come.

By the time the cold autumn rains set in, Mrs. Winn had almost lost heart, and was ready to think that her coming to Fairfield had been a grievous mistake, that could only end in failure, after all her efforts.

She went to church on Sunday, and tried to listen to the service, and believe that God still cared for the fatherless and widow, as the Bible taught; but her thoughts would drift away to wondering how the rent was to be paid, and what the baker would say when she told him she had no money to pay his bill.

Then as the weather grew colder, and they needed fires more, they had to do with less; for when their present stock of coals was burnt, they did not know how they were to get any more. And they had to sit huddled over a scrap of fire in the kitchen during the day, and go to bed soon after dusk to save lights and fires.

The only bright spot in the dreary outlook was that Tom might get a scholarship at the forthcoming examination; and this, as Mrs. Winn had learned lately, would be even more valuable than Elsie's, for it would afford Tom board and lodging as well as education at the college.

For Tom's sake, therefore, that he might not be hindered in his book-work, they were obliged to make the best of things, and the change of season brought Mrs. Winn one or two dresses to make.

Mrs. Perceval bought her girls winter dresses, and sent them to the widow to make up at once; and the servants she had worked for in the spring sent her their work again; one lady's maid saying, that her dress was better made than her mistress's, though she had paid three times as much to have it made in London.

This encouraged Mrs. Winn to hope that in time she might be able to get a good business together here in Fairfield, but what was she and her children to do while she was waiting. That was the problem that confronted her continually, and to which she could find no solution, but the practice of such rigid economy, as to make their life one of continual privation. They did not let Tom or the children feel this more than they could help, but upon Elsie and her mother the burden daily grew harder and harder as the weather grew colder, and their need of food and fire greater.