ore
gloves several sizes too big for her, and the ends of the fingers were
twisted into spikes. But her voice pleased Fly's ear. She had been to
see Mrs Darragh, she said, but had only stayed a minute. In spite of
her disappointment there was something about the little lady that
attracted Fly's fancy. Her eyes were just the colour of the sea on a
clear, sunny day. She talked a good deal, holding Fly's hand and
patting it all the time. Fly did not understand much of what she
said--she mentioned so many people Fly had never heard of before.

"You know you are my only god-child," she said; "when I die you shall
have all my money if you are a good girl." Fly thought this was very
kind, but she begged her godmother not to think of dying for years yet.
The little lady smiled. Then she began to talk again about people Fly
did not know, nodding and smiling as though it were all very funny.
Fly wondered when she would come to the gift.

"There now, I've talked enough," she said at last. "Tell me all about
yourself and the other dear children now."

Fly told her everything she could remember. Miss Black said "Yes,
yes," "How delightful," "How pleasant," but she did not seem to be
listening; her eyes were looking all round the room, and once she said
"How pleasant" when Fly was telling her about the time Patsy hurt his
foot. Fly was in the middle of the tale of Andy's trouble that morning
when Miss Black interrupted her.

"You must come and see me, my dear, and bring the others with you, and
you shall make the acquaintance of my darling Phoebus."

Here was another person Fly had never heard of. She wondered who he
could be.

"Naughty darling Phoebus," Miss Black went on. "Oh, he has been so
naughty since we left Dublin. Out for hours by himself, frightening me
into fits. But he doesn't care how anxious I am."

He must be her son, Fly thought; rather a horrid little boy to frighten
his mother like that. She asked Miss Black if he were her only child.

Miss Black laughed. "He is, indeed, my darling only one; you must come
and see him. You will be sure to love him. He is not very fond of
children, but I shall tell him he must love you and not scratch."

Fly thought she would not love him at all, but she was too polite to
say so. She wished Miss Black would say something about her present.
But Miss Black went on talking about Phoebus. She called him her
golden boy, her heart's delight and only treasure.