of hot blood swept over her cheeks. Her pretty bunches, so
daintily and carefully arranged, seemed to her suddenly to become poor and
shabby and worthless beside that handsome show of hothouse geraniums and
roses, maidenhair and other ferns, and her step grew slow as her spirits
sank. How could she ever go on and face all the people, and show them her
poor little store?

Tom looked round at last, to see what the matter was, but he only laughed
when Bella told him. "Oh, well," he said cheerfully, "I don't suppose he
began with a pony and trap, and who is to say that we shan't be driving
one some day! My eye, Bella, wouldn't it be fine to have a little
turn-out like that!" and he capered in the road with delight at the
thought.

Bella's spirits rose again. "If I had a greenhouse," she said, "I dare
say we could grow maidenhair ferns, and roses too. Tom, do you think it
would cost a lot of money to build a greenhouse?"

"No," said Tom sturdily; "I believe we could build one ourselves if we'd
got the stuff. Bella, I'm going to learn carpentering, you see if I
don't, and then I'll be able to make lots of things, hot-beds and
greenhouses, and hencoops, and wheelbarrows."

Bella laughed. "We seem to be going to do a lot--some day, but I think we
shall be old men and women before that day comes." Tom's enthusiasm was
very cheering, though. "There are lots of lovely flowers I can grow
without a greenhouse," she said, more contentedly; "just think, Tom, of
stocks and carnations and roses, and--and lavender. Oh, Tom, won't we
have a load to bring, in time, if we can get people to buy them!"

They had reached the town by this time, and all Tom's attention was taken
up by the busy crowds. "We'd better go to High Street first, hadn't we?
That's where all the shops are, and the Market-house, and most of the
people."

"We'd better uncover our baskets first, and show what we've got to sell,
hadn't we? I don't think it's too soon, do you?"

Bella rested hers against the railings of a church they were passing at
the moment, and lifting off the cover, and turning back the damp cloth,
she carefully raised her pretty bunches, and arranged them to what she
thought was the best advantage. Her spirits rose again at the sight of
them, for they certainly were very lovely, and so sweet! There were
bunches of sweet-peas of all colours, and some of white only, and pink
only, and some of every shade of violet, from the deepest t