years old, and a great hand at "making up,"
thought a good deal about those old bygone vicars, and founded some of
her choicest romances upon them. There was one particular vicar, a
tablet to whose memory was placed in the chancel just opposite the
Hawthorns' seat in church.

"Godfrey Ablewhite, sometime vicar of this parish," etcetera.

It seemed to Pennie, as she sat staring up at this during her father's
sermons, that she saw plainly what sort of man this Godfrey Ablewhite
had been. He was broad and strong, and rode a tall white horse, and had
doubtless built those large stables at the vicarage, because he was fond
of hunting. From this she would go on to adorn his character with many
daring feats of horsemanship, and by the time the sermon was over there
was another story ready to be eagerly listened to by the other
children--and, indeed, believed also, for they had an infinite trust in
Pennie. This was partly because she was the eldest, and partly because
she "made up" so well, and had such good ideas about games and plans.
No one could make a better plan than Pennie if she put her mind to it,
and this was a valuable faculty, for toys were not plentiful at Easney
Vicarage, and the children had to find their own amusements. These,
fortunately, did not depend upon anything to be bought in shops, for
there was only one in the village, and that was the post-office too.
There you could get bacon, and peppermint drops, and coarse grey
stockings; but for anything more interesting you had to drive to
Nearminster, ten miles away. Mother went over there sometimes, and took
each child with her in turn, but even then there was a serious drawback
to buying much, and that was want of money.

Some children would doubtless think living at Easney a very dull affair.
No shops, nothing new to play with, and very little new to wear.
Pennie _did_ get a little tired sometimes of always wearing serge in
winter and holland in summer; but neither she nor her brothers and
sisters ever found their lives dull. They would have been astonished at
the idea. There were so many interesting things to do. For instance,
there was a large family of pet beasts and birds, some living in the
barn in cages, and some free. Snuff the terrier was the most intimate
and friendly of these last, and Methuselah the tortoise the greatest
stranger. The children regarded him with respectful awe, for he passed
so much of his life hidden away in the cold