If little Nan and his
grandfather were to be provided for, he must be a man, with a man's
thoughtfulness, doing man's work. There seemed enough work for him to do
in the field and garden alone, without his twelve hours' toil in the
coal-pit; but his weekly wages would now be more necessary than ever. He
must get up early, and go to bed late, and labour without a moment's
rest, doing his utmost from one day to another, with no one to help him,
or stand for a little while in his place. For a few minutes his brave
spirit sank within him, and all the landscape swam before his eyes; while
Snip took advantage of his master's inattention to put his nose into the
basin, and help himself to the largest share of the potatoes.
'I mean to be like grandmother,' said Martha's clear, sharp voice,
close beside him, and he saw his sister looking eagerly round her. 'I
shall fence the green in, and have lambs and sheep to turn out on the
hillside, and I'll rear young goslings and ducks for market; and we'll
have a brick house, with two rooms in it, as well as a shed for the coal.
And nobody shall put upon us, or touch our rights, Stephen, or they shall
have the length of my tongue.
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