ted stairs which led up to Nurse's room. "She's just like an old
witch woman."

The children were warmly received by Nurse, who was waiting for them
with all her preparations made. A snug round tea-table, with a bunch of
chrysanthemums in the middle, a kettle hissing hospitably on the hob,
and something covered up hot in the fender. She herself was arrayed in
her best cap, her black silk gown, and her most beaming smiles of
welcome.

"It's my turn to make the toast," said Nancy, pulling off her gloves
briskly. "You've got a lovely fire. You cut the bread, Pennie.
Thick."

"And how's Miss Dickie?" said Nurse, watching these preparations with a
delighted face. "Bless her dear little heart, I haven't seen her this
long while."

"She wanted to come," said Pennie, "but she's got a cold, so mother
wouldn't let her."

"A little dear," repeated Nurse. She sat with her hands folded on her
waist, turning her kind round face first on Pennie and then on Nancy,
who, kneeling on the hearth, was making toast in a business-like serious
manner.

"How's Mrs Crump?" inquired the latter.

"Well, she's rather contrairy in her temper just now, my dear," answered
Nurse.

"She always is, isn't she?" returned Nancy.

"I can't altogether deny that, Miss Nancy," said Nurse, chuckling
comfortably; "but you see it's a constant trouble with her that her room
window don't look on the street. She's been used to a deal of life
before she came here, and she finds it dull, and that makes her short.
When you've been used to stirring and bustling about, charing and so on,
it do seem a bit quiet, I daresay."

"I should have thought," said Nancy, "that she'd have been glad to rest
after all that; but I think I'd rather have a room looking on the street
too. I should like watching people pass."

Pennie was sitting in her favourite place, the window-seat, where
Nurse's flower-pots stood in a row--a cactus, a geranium, and some musk.
She looked out into the garden.

"I think this way's much the nicest," she said, "because of the flowers
and the grass, and the quietness."

"Tea's ready!" exclaimed Nancy, springing up from the fire with one
scarlet cheek, and waving the last piece of toast on the top of the
toasting-fork.

The little party drew in their chairs, Pennie pouring out tea, as usual
on these occasions, for to her own great delight Nurse was always
treated rather as a guest than hostess. By the good luck which, she
conside