The two little girls smiled shyly, and Esther let go her clasp on her father’s hand and followed Mrs. Carew into the pleasant kitchen. Faith watched her eagerly; she wondered why Esther looked about the big room with such a curious expression. “Almost as if she did not like it,” thought Faith.
The little gray kitten came bouncing out from behind the big wood-box and Esther gave a startled exclamation.
“It’s just ‘Bounce,’” said Faith, picking up the kitten and smoothing its pretty head. “I named it ‘Bounce’ because it never seems to walk. It just bounces along.”
Esther smiled again, but she did not speak. Faith noticed that she was very thin, and that her hands looked almost like little brown shadows.
“Are you tired?” she asked, suddenly remembering that she had heard her father say that “Mr. Eldridge’s little maid was not well, and he thought the change would do her good.”
Esther nodded. “Yes, I’m always tired,” she answered, sitting down in the low wooden rocker beside the light stand.
“For pity’s sake, child, we must see to it that you are soon as strong and well as Faith,” said Mrs. Carew, untying the broad scarlet ribbon and taking off Esther’s hat. She smoothed back the dark hair with a tender hand, remembering that Esther’s own mother was not well, and resolving to do her best for this delicate child.
“I think the pumpkin is cooked by this time, Faithie. I’ll set it in the window to cool and then you can take out the pulp and I’ll make the cakes,” said Mrs. Carew.
Bounce jumped up in Esther’s lap, and Faith sat down on the braided rug beside her.
“I’m going to make the pumpkin shell into a work-basket for you,” said Faith. “Did you ever see a pumpkin-shell work-basket?”