dearie? Then you shall. I know it's miserable
not to know what to do with yourself; I used to feel like it when I was a
child. I was never so happy as when I'd got real work to do; 'twas better
to me than play. You shall dust your own room presently, if you like."

"Shall I? Oh, that will be nice." Esther was on her feet in a moment,
all her melancholy gone. "Where shall I find a duster, Anna?"

"Don't be in too much of a 'urry, Miss Esther. I reckon you wouldn't feel
so pleased if you'd got to do it," added Anna, laughing. "I'll give you
the duster and brush in a minute. You lend me a hand with this, if you
will," turning the mattress on Poppy's bed, "and I'll be ready in half the
time; it's ever so much quicker done if there's two at it; you see, when
one's alone, one wastes so much time running round and round the bed."

"Of course," said Esther. "I wish I'd helped you sooner. I wonder how
long I should be learning to make a bed. Is it very difficult?"

"Not a bit," said Anna, "once you've got into the way of it. First you
spreads the blanket like so, and tucks it in--you must always begin at the
bottom."

"First the foot and then the head,
That's the way to make a bed."

"My old grandmother taught me them lines when I wasn't more'n eleven, and
I've never forgot 'em. Next you spreads the sheet just so, and you must
be careful not to leave any creases in it. Then you beat up the bolster
and pillow, and lay them like that," suiting the action to the words.
"Then comes the top sheet, and the blankets. You must tuck each one in at
the bottom first, and then at the sides, and leave the top end loose, so
that when you've got the blankets spread, you turn the sheet neatly down
over the blankets; and then you see it's all tidy under the quilt, ready
for when you come to turn down the bed at night."

Esther followed her instructions closely to the end. "Shall I come and
help you with the others?" she asked, as Anna moved off to Penelope's
room; and Anna quite graciously consented.

"I shall be glad enough to have the dusting done," she said, as they
finished off the other two little beds. "I've got to make jam to-day, and
that means that I can't leave the kitchen a minute when once I've put it
on," and Esther could have danced with joy. She was managing wonderfully,
she told herself, and felt very proud.

From the French window below they heard Miss Charlotte's voice.
"Penelope!" she ca