I told her it was given to
the tinsmith's wife."

"And, of course, you said we shouldn't take it away?" said Maisie.

"Well, no," said Philippa, looking a little ashamed, as she remembered
her hasty departure; "I didn't tell her that. I thought she would know
it."

Maisie put the kitten gently back into Becky's arms.

"Don't be unhappy," she said. "Of course I'd much rather it stayed with
you than with old Sally's Eliza; and I am sure she won't mind, because,
you see, she hardly knew it before it ran away. And we couldn't have it
at Fieldside, because we mustn't keep more than two cats, and we've got
Madam and Darkie. And I don't want it either, because now I know it's
happy and comfortable, I don't mind any longer."

Becky found it almost as hard not to cry now as it had been before, the
relief was so great; but she managed to whisper some earnest thanks, as
she clasped her pet closely to her.

"I hope it will always be a comfort to you," said Maisie, as the
children said good-bye. "I always said it would grow up a nice little
comforting cat, though it was never so pretty as the others. And now,"
she remarked to Philippa as they drove home, "the kittens are settled.
They've each got a good home, and we know which has grown up the
greatest comfort."

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM.

Summer, which had seemed very long in coming to Dennis and Maisie, had
at last made up its mind, and was really here, bringing all its best
pleasures and most beautiful things to look at and enjoy. It was really
hot weather, so that it was possible almost to live out of doors, and to
have tea in the garden as a matter of course. Hot enough always to wear
cotton frocks and holland suits, and sun-bonnets and broad straw hats,
to do very few lessons, and to be out quite late in the evening. The
roses were in bloom, the fields smelt sweet with new-mown hay, the
strawberries were ripe: it was glorious June weather.

But at Upwell, though it was quite as hot, it was not by any means so
beautiful. There the narrow dusty streets were stifling; the sun's
fierce rays beat down on the houses all day, and when night came, it
brought no coolness or relief, and there seemed no air to breathe. It
was not so bad for the people who could get away from the town when
their work was done, into the fields and lanes for a while; but there
were some who were old or sick and could not move, and amongst these was
poor Becky. S