Still, if you guarantee that he is a good boy, I will see about it." "Mamma doesn't think he is a very good boy," Kate said; "but you see, papa, mamma is a woman, and perhaps she doesn't understand boys and girls as well as I do.

I think he's good, and he told me he never told stories." The squire laughed.
"I don't know what your mamma would say to that, puss; nor whether she would agree that you understand boys and girls better than she does.

However, I will take your opinion this time, and give Reuben a chance." The subject was not mentioned again in Kate's hearing, but she was greatly pleased, one morning, at seeing Reuben at work in the gardens.
"Good morning, Reuben," she said.
"Good morning, miss," he replied, touching his hat.
"I am glad you have come in Tom's place, and I hope you will be good, and not get into scrapes, for I told papa I thought you would not; and you see, if you do, he will turn round and blame me." "I will try not to get into scrapes, Miss Kate," Reuben said.

"I don't do it often, you know, and I don't think there will be much chance of it, here." Kate nodded and walked on, and Reuben went about his work.
There was, however, much more opportunity for getting into scrapes than Reuben imagined, although the scrapes were not of the kind he had pictured.

Being naturally careless, he had not been there a week before, in his eagerness to get home to a particularly interesting book, he forgot to carry out his orders to shut the cucumber frames and, a sharp frost coming on in the night, the plants were all killed; to the immense indignation of the gardener, who reported the fact, with a very serious face, to the squire.
"I am afraid that boy will never do, squire.