ubbish which no one would have. It
would have made you _weep_ to see her collection of atrocities, and the
old dear beamed away as if she were quite delighted. I call it
Christian to buy straw spill-boxes and cork frames for the good of your
fellow-creatures!"

"But think of the ni-ice little fire they will make when the weather
turns chilly!" said Jim wickedly, as he jolted Chrissie's elbow, jerked
the plate out of Kitty's hand, and made a snap at Agatha's cake, held
temptingly before him. He could never by any chance sit near the girls
without teasing them in some such schoolboy fashion; and though they
made a great show of indignation, they would in reality have been much
disappointed if he had taken them at their word. In the present
instance all three girls fell upon him at once, and, having reduced him
to a state of submission, continued their song of jubilation.

"We took five pounds at the refreshment stall alone. It would make a
scandal in the parish if I divulged how many plates of strawberries the
vicar ate. Mrs Bolter bought up all the macaroons. `Home-made, my
dear? X-ellent! I must really beg the recipe.' Mrs Booth asked the
price of everything, and sniffed, and walked away. What a woman! Mrs
Raleigh seemed quite indignant because I had no eggs. `Dear me! I
quite _counted_ on getting fresh eggs!' Mr Vanburgh had only one cup
of tea. I don't call that helping the cause of charity!"

"I was busy in another direction, and if I neglected the tea, I did my
duty nobly by the lemonade. I am afraid we did not make very much
money, but, considering the low rates, it came to more than I expected.
How much did we take altogether, Miss Lilias?"

"Two pounds, one and sixpence; and all pure profit, remember! We had no
outlay to deduct," replied Lilias, with the shrewd little air of
business which contrasted so strangely with her child-like looks.
"Looking at it in that light, I think ours was the most profitable of
all the departments."

"And I made nothing! I feel quite guilty among you all, for I took not
a single coin the whole afternoon," said Maud the modest; but Jim would
not allow his favourite sister to decry herself in his presence, and was
up in arms in a moment in her defence.

"And why not, pray? Because you were doing the thankless work, as you
always are, and fielding for every one else. That was my task, too; and
let me tell these young people that they have to thank us for thei