esisting the conviction which forced itself upon me: my flat iron was
melted.

Polly was much distressed. Doubly so because she had been the cause of
the misfortune. As we were examining the shapeless lump of metal, she
said, "It's like a little lump of silver that Miss Blomfield has
hanging to her watch chain;" which determined me to have a hole made
through the remains of my flat iron, and do the same.

"Papa has promised me a watch next birthday," I added.

Polly and I were very happy and merry together; but her visit came to
an end at last. Aunt Maria came to fetch her. She had brought her down
when she came, but had only stayed one night. On this occasion she
stayed from Saturday to Monday. Aunt Maria never allowed any of the
girls to travel alone, and they were never allowed to visit without
her at any but relations' houses. One consequence of which was, that
when they grew up, and were large young women with large noses, they
were the most helpless creatures at a railway-station that I ever
beheld.

Whilst Aunt Maria was with us, she "spoke seriously," as it is called,
to my father about my education. I think she was shocked to discover
how thoroughly Polly and I had been "running wild" during Polly's
visit. Whether my father had given any rash assent to proposals for
our studying together, which Aunt Maria may have made at her last
visit, or not, I do not know. Anyway, my aunt seemed to be shocked,
and enlarged to my father on the waste of time involved in allowing me
to run wild so long. My father was apt to "take things easy," and I
fancy he made some vague promises as to my education, which satisfied
my aunt for the time. Polly and I parted with much grief on both
sides. Aunt Maria took her back to her lessons, and I was left to my
loneliness.

I felt Polly's loss very much, especially as my father happened to be
a good deal engaged just then, and Nurse Bundle busy superintending
some new arrangements in our nursery premises. I think she missed
Polly herself; we had not been so quiet for some weeks. We almost felt
it dull.

"Of course a country place _is_ very quiet," Mrs. Bundle said one
evening to the housekeeper, with whom we were having tea for a change.
"Anybody feels it that has ever lived in a town, where people is
always dropping in."

"What's 'dropping in,' Nurse?" I asked.

"Well, my dear, just calling in at anybody's house, and sitting down
in a friendly way, to exchange the weather and