the kitchen. The
wash-house was a tight fit for the Perks children and the Three Chimneys
children, as well as all the wash-house's proper furniture, including
the mangle and the copper.

"Hullo, old woman!" they heard Mr. Perks's voice say; "here's a pretty
set-out!"

"It's your birthday tea, Bert," said Mrs. Perks, "and here's a ounce of
your extry particular. I got it o' Saturday along o' your happening to
remember it was your birthday to-day."

"Good old girl!" said Mr. Perks, and there was a sound of a kiss.

"But what's that pram doing here? And what's all these bundles? And
where did you get the sweetstuff, and--"

The children did not hear what Mrs. Perks replied, because just then
Bobbie gave a start, put her hand in her pocket, and all her body grew
stiff with horror.

"Oh!" she whispered to the others, "whatever shall we do? I forgot to
put the labels on any of the things! He won't know what's from who.
He'll think it's all US, and that we're trying to be grand or charitable
or something horrid."

"Hush!" said Peter.

And then they heard the voice of Mr. Perks, loud and rather angry.

"I don't care," he said; "I won't stand it, and so I tell you straight."

"But," said Mrs. Perks, "it's them children you make such a fuss
about--the children from the Three Chimneys."

"I don't care," said Perks, firmly, "not if it was a angel from Heaven.
We've got on all right all these years and no favours asked. I'm not
going to begin these sort of charity goings-on at my time of life, so
don't you think it, Nell."

"Oh, hush!" said poor Mrs Perks; "Bert, shut your silly tongue, for
goodness' sake. The all three of 'ems in the wash-house a-listening to
every word you speaks."

"Then I'll give them something to listen to," said the angry Perks;
"I've spoke my mind to them afore now, and I'll do it again," he added,
and he took two strides to the wash-house door, and flung it wide
open--as wide, that is, as it would go, with the tightly packed children
behind it.

"Come out," said Perks, "come out and tell me what you mean by it. 'Ave
I ever complained to you of being short, as you comes this charity lay
over me?"

"OH!" said Phyllis, "I thought you'd be so pleased; I'll never try to be
kind to anyone else as long as I live. No, I won't, not never."

She burst into tears.

"We didn't mean any harm," said Peter.

"It ain't what you means so much as what you does," said Perks.

"Oh, DON'T!" cried Bobbi