when she does that. She has the power to
destroy things if she says the right words. Any morning I may wake up
and find the house changed into a heap of dust, or perhaps be struck
dead myself."

It seemed impossible that such things should be going on almost within
sight of Miss Thompson's schoolroom window. And yet, judging by the
gravity of Lewis's face, he was speaking in most sober earnest. John
and Betty pressed tighter together, and took hold of each other's hands.

"I hope for your sakes that the old witch won't find out you've been
talking to me," continued Lewis solemnly.

"Why what would she do?" Betty ventured to ask.

"That would depend on what sort of a temper she happened to be in," was
the reassuring reply.

And then Lewis proceeded to tell such terrible tales about Mrs.
Howard's power and malignity, that the poor twins longed to be safely
back at home, out of sight of that weird brick house, whose commonplace
walls concealed such dreadful deeds of cruelty.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE BROWN BAG.

Madge was spending her afternoon in a still more stirring manner than
the twins. A shopping expedition to Churchbury was always an
excitement, and it was extraordinary how many little purchases seemed
absolutely necessary directly the children found out that one of them
was going to town.

Madge was heavily laden with money. Five shillings and sevenpence,
mostly in coppers, take up a great deal of room. This sum represented
the joint property of Madge, Betty, and John. They collected it in a
tin money-box shaped like a small doll's house, with a slit in the roof
to drop in the pennies. Miss Thompson kept the key of the front-door,
and they had to apply to her for it before any money could be taken
out. They had made this rule themselves, because they found that
unless their money was locked up so that they could not get at it
without a little trouble, they used it as soon as it was given them.
To-day they had all three asked for the key, and opened the front-door
with pleasant anticipations of finding a fortune inside. They were
able to judge in some measure of the probable extent of their fortune
by the weight of the tin house. Luckily there was no space required
for sitting-rooms or stairs inside the house (which was in fact rather
a sham, being really nothing better than a box), so that it would hold
an almost unlimited quantity of money. Even five shillings and
sevenpence did not half f