board and lodging, two shillings a week pocket money, and perhaps a small present at Christmas.
As far as it went this was very well. "But," said June, "there's my clothes, Uncle Si."
"Clothes!" The old man scratched his cheek. "You've money of your own, haven't you?"
"Only twenty pounds."
"We'll think about clothes when the time comes to buy some."
S. Gedge, however, admitted to William privately that he had hopes of the niece. "But let me tell you this, boy: it's asking for trouble to have a young female sleeping in the house. Old ones are bad enough, even when they sleep out; young ones sleeping in may be the very mischief."
In fact, the old man deemed it wise to reinforce these observations with a solemn warning. "Understand, boy, there must be no carrying on between you and her."
"Carrying on, sir!" Such innocence might have touched the heart of King Herod.
"That's what I said. I can trust you; in some ways you hardly know you're born; but with a woman, and a young one at that, it's another pair o' shoes. Women are simply the devil."
William's blank face showed a fleck of scarlet; yet the true inwardness of these Menander-like words were lost upon him; and he was rebuked for being a perfect fool in things that mattered. However, the arrangement was merely temporary. If the girl behaved herself, well and good; if she didn't behave herself, niece or no niece, she would have to go. But—touching wood!—there was nothing to complain of so far.
