human
Drat it! Mrs. Holl muttered,
gpt
If no one is to come except when you are not busy, Harry laughed, as Mrs. Holl moved towards the door, wiping the lather from her arms and hands,
human
Ah! he exclaimed, as Mrs. Holl opened the door, and he saw who was standing without,
gpt
Mrs. Holl?
human
I hope I am not intruding, Mrs. Holl, but I promised your son to look in and see how he was; and as I had to come down to the School to-day for a book I wanted for my holiday task, I thought it would be a good opportunity to fulfil my promise.
gpt
It is no intrusion, sir, and I am sure I am heartily glad to see yer, and thank ye for coming, Mrs. Holl said, as she dusted an already spotless chair and placed it for her visitor.
human
My John does nothing every evening but talk of how he wishes he could see you, to tell you how beholden he and me feels to you for having brought our Evan to land just as he was being drowned.
gpt
No thanks are required indeed, Mrs. Holl, Frank said cheerfully,
human
Not at all, sir. He is out to-day with a friend of ours as 'as got a barrow, and lives in the next street, but who is that hoarse with the cold that he can't speak out of a whisper; so he offered Evan sixpence to go along with him to do the shouting, and a nice shouting he will make; his voice goes through and through my head when he is only a-talking with his brothers and sisters here, and if anything can bring them to the windows it will be his voice. He offered to come round here with the barrow afore they started off this morning, but says I, 'No, Evan; I have a good name in the street, I hope, and don't wish to be dighted as a nuisance to the neighbourhood, nor to have my neighbours accusing me of a-being the cause of fits in their children.'
gpt
I don't suppose that it would be as bad as that, Mrs. Holl, Frank said, laughing.
human
However, if his voice is as loud and clear as that, it is evident that he is not much the worse for his cold bath. I came round partly to see him, partly to know if I could do anything for him; he seems a sharp lad, and I am sure he is as honest as he is plucky. As a beginning, my uncle says he could come into the house as a sort of errand-boy, and to help the footman, until he can hear of some better position for him among his friends.
gpt
I am sure you are very good, sir, Mrs. Holl said gratefully;
human
I will mention it to his father, and he---- But I doubt whether Evan's steady enough for a place yet, he is allus getting into mischief; there never was such a boy for scrapes; if all my eight were like him I should go clean mad afore the week was out. When he is in the house, as long as he is talking or singing I can go on with my work, but the moment that he is quiet I have to drop what I am a-doing on and look arter him, for he is sure to be up to some mischief or other.
gpt
No, no, mother, Harry put in, laughing;
human
No, I don't say that he does real harm, 'Arry, Mrs. Holl replied,