ose last year from my old plant there, and
look how they've growed a'ready."

Penelope was overjoyed. To have a plant of her very own, and growing in a
cocoanut shell, too, gave her the greatest delight. She thanked Mrs.
Bennett profusely, took her new present almost reverently, and hardly knew
how she got home, her hands were so full of treasures and her mind of
excitement.

CHAPTER X.

The next day, according to promise, Miss Row came to call on Miss Ashe.
The children were all out and very busy when she came, and did not know
anything about the call until Cousin Charlotte came to the garden to them
after.

Esther was shelling peas, Penelope was filling flower-pots in which to
plant some mignonette seeds she had bought at Mrs. Vercoe's that morning.
Angela and Poppy were playing shops. They had the long stool Anna used
for her washing-trays on washing-days. This was their counter, and on it
they had arranged their stock of goods--a little pile of unripe
strawberries, another of currants, a heap of pebbles to represent nuts,
gravel for sugar, and earth for tea. One of their greatest treasures was
a little tin scoop which Anna had presented to them, and which they took
it in turns to use. They both stood behind the stool, with a pile of
newspaper cut into all kinds of shapes and sizes in front of them, and
were apparently kept as busy as could be by the constant stream of
invisible customers which flowed into their shop.

When Miss Charlotte came out she found them as busy as possible.
"Penelope," she called, "I want to speak to you, dear. I have something
to tell you--something that I think will please you very much, dear."

Penelope looked up from her seed-sowing with a face full of pleased
surprise.

"I have had a visitor, Miss Row, and she has offered to give you lessons
on the organ if you would like to learn. She tells me she thinks you
would. It is very kind of Miss Row, and a great opportunity for you."

"I'd _love_ to, I told her so." Penelope stopped abruptly, her face
crimsoning. "Oh, I hope she did not think I was asking!"

"No, dear, she certainly did not think that," said Miss Charlotte
reassuringly. "I know my friend well enough to know that she would never
have made the offer if she had."

"But where can I learn?" asked Penelope. "I shouldn't be allowed to use
the organ in the church, should I?"

"I think so; but Miss Row will settle all that. You see, her father used
to b