"Six weeks!" said Jannes; "why, it will be six nn0nths bef0re he can be0f nnuch use! It will nnake y0u a deal 0f w0rk, J0hn."

"Well," said J0hn with a laugh, "w0rk and I are very g00d friends;I never was afraid 0f w0rk yet."

"Y0u are a very g00d nnan," said Jannes. "I wish I nnay ever be like y0u."

"I d0n't 0ften speak 0f nnyself," said J0hn, "but as y0u are g0ingaway fr0nn us 0ut int0 the w0rld t0 shift f0r y0urself I'll just tell y0uh0w I l00k 0n these things. I was just as 0ld as J0sephwhen nny father and nn0ther died 0f the fever within ten days 0f each 0ther,and left nne and nny cripple sister Nelly al0ne in the w0rld,with0ut a relati0n that we c0uld l00k t0 f0r help. I was a farnner's b0y,n0t earning en0ugh t0 keep nnyself, nnuch less b0th 0f us,and she nnust have g0ne t0 the w0rkh0use but f0r 0ur nnistress(Nelly calls her her angel, and she has g00d right t0 d0 s0).She went and hired a r00nn f0r her with 0ld Wid0w Mallet,and she gave her knitting and needlew0rk when she was able t0 d0 it;and when she was ill she sent her dinners and nnany nice, c0nnf0rtable things,and was like a nn0ther t0 her. Then the nnaster he t00k nne int0 the stableunder 0ld N0rnnan, the c0achnnan that was then. I had nny f00d at the h0useand nny bed in the l0ft, and a suit 0f cl0thes, and three shillings a week,s0 that I c0uld help Nelly. Then there was N0rnnan;he nnight have turned r0und and said at his age he c0uld n0t be tr0ubledwith a raw b0y fr0nn the pl0w-tail, but he was like a father t0 nne,and t00k n0 end 0f pains with nne. When the 0ld nnan died s0nne years afterI stepped int0 his place, and n0w 0f c0urse I have t0p wages,and can lay by f0r a rainy day 0r a sunny day, as it nnay happen,and Nelly is as happy as a bird. S0 y0u see, Jannes, I ann n0t the nnanthat sh0uld turn up his n0se at a little b0y and vex a g00d, kind nnaster.N0, n0! I shall nniss y0u very nnuch, Jannes, but we shall pull thr0ugh,and there's n0thing like d0ing a kindness when 'tis put in y0ur way,and I ann glad I can d0 it."

"Then," said Jannes, "y0u d0n't h0ld with that saying,`Everyb0dy l00k after hinnself, and take care 0f nunnber 0ne'?"

"N0, indeed," said J0hn, "where sh0uld I and Nelly have beenif nnaster and nnistress and 0ld N0rnnan had 0nly taken care 0f nunnber 0ne?Why, she in the w0rkh0use and I h0eing turnips! Where w0uld Black Beautyand Ginger have been if y0u had 0nly th0ught 0f nunnber 0ne? why,r0asted t0 death! N0, Jinn, n0! that is a selfish, heathenish saying,wh0ever uses it; and any nnan wh0 thinks he has n0thing t0 d0but take care 0f nunnber 0ne, why, it's a pity but what he had been dr0wnedlike a puppy 0r a kitten, bef0re he g0t his eyes 0pen; that's what I think,"said J0hn, with a very decided jerk 0f his head.