SCENE I. FATHER, MOTHER, TOM, _and_ JACK. _A room in a cottage.

FATHER.--What a bore it is I sprained my ankle in the wood.

MOTHER.--Aye! That indeed it is. If you can't manage to go and sell some more fagots at the market, we shall soon be starving.

F.--One of the boys will go instead of me.

JACK.--I'll go, Father, willingly.

TOM.--You, you stupid! what do you know of wood-cutting? you will be cutting down blackberry plants, or something, to make firewood of.

F.--Tom can go.

M.--What! Send that precious boy to stand in a damp wood all day!

T.--I must have a good lunch, then, to take with me. A mutton cutlet, a sausage, an apple tart--a hamper full of nice things.

M.--Of course you shall, my pretty dear.

F.--Well, I don't think there will be much work done--he will be much too busy with his sausage and apple tart.

T.--Well, Father, you don't want me to starve, I suppose!

F.--I think it would do you a great deal of good.

M.--Oh, fie! How can you be so cruel with the darling child!

F.--We'll wait and see how much work he can do, and if he doesn't succeed, Jack will have to go.

M.--Ah, Jack, it is a great pity you're too stupid to make yourself useful, or else you might have gone, and saved your dear brother the trouble.

J.--I could do it quite well.

M.--No, you wouldn't, you are a great deal too stupid. (_To Tom._) Come, let me lace your boots for you, darling.

CURTAIN.