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Page 75
"Yes, I'll go to bed," said little Peter, rubbing his drowsy eyes. So
his mother took him into the bedroom and lighted the rushlight. Then she
undressed him and put him to bed. And Peter had hardly touched the
pillow before he was fast asleep.
But the mother went back to the kitchen-table, and seated herself once
more by the light of the dimly-burning lamp. The parsnips were all cut
up long ago. She put the dish aside and began to sew. Now and then she
paused in her work to lean back in her chair, and tears welled up in her
eyes. Perhaps she remembered that the rent was due, or she may have been
reflecting that Peter's jacket was past further patching. In either case
she began to count over in her mind a certain small stock of savings
which she had laid by in a money-box, and to puzzle her poor head what
she should turn her hand to next to earn the wherewithal to buy the boy
some decent clothes. Nothing likely suggested itself, however, and with
a heavy sigh she bent once more over her work and stitched away faster
than ever. For the work she was doing had to be taken home next morning;
and there was a great deal yet to do if she hoped to get it finished in
time, and to pay her rent with the price of it.
After sitting like this for a while, she got up. Her eyes ached, and it
was getting late. The big kitchen clock was on the stroke of twelve. She
put her sewing away in her work-basket, and carried the saucepan and the
dish of parsnips into the scullery. Then she swept up the spare roots
into a corner of the hearth, and put the little stool tidily away under
the table.
But she could not see anything of the parsnip which Peter had let fall.
Possibly it had rolled behind the stove.
"I shall be sure to find it in the morning, when I light the fire," she
thought.
She put out the lamp, and stepped softly into the chamber where the
rushlight burned dimly. Then with one passing glance at the sleeping
boy, she undressed herself and prepared for bed.
In a few moments more all her cares and troubles had vanished in
slumber.
THE LITTLE MAN IN THE YELLOW COAT--A MOUSE-RIDE AT MIDNIGHT--THE HOLE
IN THE WALL--AMONG THE PARSNIP-MEN--QUEEN MARY--THE BLUE DRESS--A
CAKE-FEAST--ONE!
Little Peter had been asleep for a long time, when all at once he found
himself suddenly twitched by the arm. He rolled over, rubbed his eyes,
and then, to his amazement, saw the little Parsnip-man sitting by him on
the quilt.
He did not look a bit like a parsnip now. He had on a long yellow coat,
and a little green hat on his head; and he nodded in quite a friendly
way to Peter.
"Come along! Be quick!" he said. "We must be off. But wrap up well, for
it's cold outside."
"Where are we going to?" asked little Peter. "Into the cave? And is
Mamma going too?"
"No," said the little man. "She's stopping at home. But do be quick, for
the feast has begun."
And with that he gave such a jump on to the floor that the boards fairly
creaked again, and little Peter, slipped out of bed after him. The
little Parsnip-man helped him on with his shoes and stockings, and Peter
put on the rest of his clothes himself.
Then the Mannikin pulled out a little whistle and blew on it.
Immediately there was a rustling under the bed, and then two mice peeped
out.
In a moment the Parsnip-man caught one, and vaulted on to its back.
"You get on the other," he said to Peter.
"But it isn't big enough to carry me," said Peter doubtfully.
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