ked into. Where's the good of troubling when
you have it? You know you have it."

"I know nothing of the kind. There! I will tell you the simple truth. I
have not got the thimble. You may believe me as much as you like."

"Then I'll believe just as much as nothing at all. If you haven't got the
thimble, you know where it is. I'll give you until this time to-morrow to
let me have it, and if you don't I'll go straight to Aunt Sophy."

"Now, Pen, you are talking nonsense. You have no proof whatever that I
have touched the thimble; and what will Aunt Sophia say to a little child
who trumps up stories about her elder sister?"

"Perhaps she'll be very glad," said Penelope. "I have often thought that
with such a lot of you grown-up girls, and all of you so very rampagious
and not a bit inclined to obey or do your lessons nicely, poor Aunt
Sophy, what is really a dear old duck of a thing, wants some one like me
to spy round corners and find out what goes on ahind her back. Don't you
think so? Don't you think her'll love me if I tell her always what goes
on ahind of her back?"

"If she's a bit decent she'll hate you," said Pauline. "Oh, Pen, how were
you made? What a queer, queer sort of child you are! You haven't ideas
like the rest of us."

"Maybe 'cos I'm nicer," said Penelope, not at all impressed by Pauline's
contempt. "Maybe I shouldn't like to be made same as all you others are.
There is something wrong about Aunt Sophy's thimble, and if I don't get
it soon I'll be 'bliged to tell her."

Penelope's eyes looked like needles. She walked away. Pauline gazed after
her; then she went into the house.

"That thimble is really a very trifling matter," she said to herself,
"but even that at the present moment annoys me. Nancy has promised to
bring it back to me this evening, and I will just put it somewhere where
Pen is sure to find it. Then she'll be in raptures; she'll have her
penny, and that matter will be set at rest. Oh, dear! it is almost time
to go and meet Nancy. She must not keep me long, for now that that horrid
dressing for dinner has begun, it takes quite half an hour to get
properly tidy. But what am I to do? How can I wear that blouse?"

Pauline waited her chance, and slipped out at the wicket-gate without
even Penelope's sharp eyes watching her. She found Nancy pacing up and
down at the other side. Nancy was decidedly cross.

"Why did you keep me waiting?" she said. "It is five minutes past six,
and I ha