't go plotting for you and Anne to have treats, and to
keep us out of them,' she said.

'"Treats,"--nonsense,' said. 'As if it was a _treat_. A simple thing
like this, coming down to listen to the organ.'

'Well, why shouldn't Maud and I have a simple pleasure too?'

'You don't care for music, at least you hate sitting still, and Maud was
quite happy at the farm. _She_ didn't want to come.'

'No, Jack, truly I didn't,' said Maud almost crying. 'But Serry said if
I didn't she'd run off into the wood and hide herself so that we
couldn't find her. And she told the servant to tell Mrs. Parsley we'd
gone with you after all, and we'd be all home soon. And Mrs. Parsley was
upstairs, and she called down, "All right, my dears," and Serry said if
I said anything she'd----' I never knew what Serry had said she'd do,
for now Maud began crying, and Anne put her arms round her, and kissed
and comforted her.

Then Anne and I looked at each other. What should we do? After all it
wasn't a very big thing; it wouldn't do any harm for them to sit
listening to the music too if Serry would be quiet. And perhaps she
would be, to make up for having been so naughty. So I said, 'As you are
here, you had better stay. Take Maud into the church, Anne. I'll look
after Serry.'

But when I was going to take hold of Serry she slipped away.

'I won't be pulled and dragged about,' she said. 'I'll go into a corner
and be quite quiet if you'll leave me alone, but I'll scream if you
don't.'

Just then the singing began. I _didn't_ want to miss any of it, and
Serry was more likely to be quiet if I gave in. So I let her go; she
went in before me very quickly, right into a corner as she said, and she
gave me a sort of a nod over her shoulder. I hoped it meant she was
going to be sensible.

[Illustration: 'We all three sat listening and listening.'--c. xii. p.
175.]

The singing was most beautiful that night. We all three sat listening
and listening. I think Anne soon went up into the clouds again and
forgot everything else. Maudie liked it too; she leant against me, but
every now and then I felt her shiver, and little sobs went through her.
Maud scarcely ever cries, but when she does it seems to tire her out.
And Serry had worried her very badly.

'Are you cold, dear?' I whispered, and she said she was a little. Serry
had hurried her out without seeing that she was properly wrapped up, and
it was a chilly evening, I forgot to say. Perhaps it woul