Aunt Pen sung softly in the
twilight, a small, white figure came pattering over the straw carpet,
and dropped a soft, warm ball down by Patty's cheek, saying, as plainly
as a loud, confiding purr could say it--

'There, my dear, this is a lonely time for you, I know, so I've brought
my best and prettiest darling to comfort you;' and with that Mother
Bunch sat down and washed her face, while Patty cuddled little
Snowdrop, and forgot to cry about baby.

Soon after this came a great happiness to Patty in the shape of a letter
from mamma, saying she must have her little girl back a week earlier
than they had planned.

'I'm sorry to leave you, aunty, but it is _so_ nice to be wanted, and
I'm all mamma has now, you know, so I must hurry and finish my work to
surprise her with. How shall we finish it off? There ought to be
something regularly splendid to go all round,' said Patty, in a great
bustle, as she laid out her pieces, and found that only a few more were
needed to complete the 'moral bed-quilt.'

'I must try and find something. We will put this white star, with the
blue round it, in the middle, for it is the neatest and prettiest piece,
in spite of the stains. I will sew in this part, and you may finish
putting the long strips together,' said Aunt Pen, rummaging her bags and
bundles for something fine to end off with.

'I know! I've got something!' and away hurried Lizzie, who was there,
and much interested in the work.

She came hopping back again, presently, with a roll in her hand, which
she proudly spread out, saying--

'There! mother gave me that ever so long ago, but I never had any quilt
to use it for, and now it's just what you want. You can't buy such
chintz now-a-days, and I'm _so_ glad I had it for you.'

'It's regularly splendid!' cried Patty, in a rapture; and so it was, for
the pink and white was all covered with animals, and the blue was full
of birds and butterflies and bees flying about as naturally as possible.
Really lovely were the little figures and the clear, soft colours, and
Aunt Pen clapped her hands, while Patty hugged her friend, and declared
that the quilt was perfect now.

Mrs. Brown begged to be allowed to quilt it when the patches were all
nicely put together, and Patty was glad to have her, for that part of
the work was beyond her skill. It did not come home till the morning
Patty left, and Aunt Pen packed it up without ever unrolling it.

'We will look at it together when w