k it would be very kind to the boys
to go without them. For it's their money you know, Uncle Geoff, as well
as mine."

"All right," said Uncle Geoff, and I could see he was pleased with me;
"all right. You shall have all you want in half an hour at latest," and
he was turning to go, for while we were talking he had been putting on
his great coat, when I stopped him.

"The money, Uncle Geoff," I cried, "you are forgetting the money. It's
all ready--see--this is one of my shillings, and a sixpence and three
pennies of Tom's, and Racey's fourpenny and two of his halfpennies. The
way we planned it was a shilling for the sponge cakes and buns, and a
shilling for biscuits, and two pennies for two muffins. It makes two
shillings and two pennies just--doesn't it? I know mother used to say
the chocolatey biscuits were dear, but I should think a shilling would
get enough--a shilling's a good deal."

"Yes, it's twelve whole pence," said Uncle Geoff very seriously, as he
took the money.

"But if the biscuits cost more, you'll tell me, won't you, Uncle Geoff?"
I said, and he nodded "yes" back to me as he went out, and I ran
up-stairs to the nursery as happy as I could be.

The boys were delighted with my news--Tom, who I must say had from the
beginning been inclined to like Uncle Geoff, was quite glad to find I
too was beginning to think him nice, for Tom wouldn't have thought it
quite fair to me to like him if I didn't. We got out some of the
prettiest of my doll's dinner-service plates, for we thought it might
look nice to put a few of them up and down the table with just two or
three biscuits on each; and we were very busy and happy, and it didn't
seem nearly half an hour when we heard some one coming up-stairs, and in
another moment Uncle Geoff called to us to open the door, as his hands
were so full he couldn't.

He came in with several tempting-looking parcels in his arms, and oh,
best of all, the dearest and prettiest little flowery plant growing in a
pot! It was a heath--like some we had in the hothouse at home--and it
_was_ so pretty. I nearly jumped for joy.

"See here, Audrey," he said, "see what I have brought you for the centre
of your table. You are very fond of flowers, I know."

"Oh, Uncle Geoff!" I said. "Oh, I am so pleased. We were so wishing for
some flowers to make the table look pretty."

Uncle Geoff looked as pleased as we did.

"Now here are your commissions," he went on. "You'll like to unpack th