"I know," said Puggy, with the air of a martyr, as he unbuttoned his waistcoat and took his silver watch and chain out and laid it on the table. "A chap in our school got into debt, and took his watch to the pawnshop. I'll do the same. It's true the chap was found out and nearly expelled, but that was because his debts were backing horses, it wasn't for pawning his watch. I'll go now. What have you got, Tina?"
Christina wildly suggested a great many of her treasures; but as they were chiefly books and toys the boys scoffed at her.
"It must be something silver or gold," they said. "I have my gold bangle that father gave me," said Christina humbly. "I hope he won't be angry if I sell it; but we couldn't be in debt, could we? That's much worse. Don't they put you into prison for debt?"
"No," said Puggy, "they send a seedy-looking chap to follow you wherever you go, and he gets inside your house and lives on the fat of the land, and you daren't turn him out, and then he takes any furniture or pictures or silver he likes, to pay for what you owe."
"Oh," said Christina with a little shiver, "will they send him here to-night?"
"You fetch me your bangle and I'll take my watch, and Dawn and I will go off to the pawnshop at once. And don't you say anything to any one till we come back."
"But if the bonnet comes while you are away?"
"Tell them to wait till we come."
The boys slipped out of the hotel, and Christina sat down to wait for their return in great unhappiness of mind. She was unhappy about her bangle; she felt she ought to have asked some one's leave before she parted with it; she was dreading the arrival of the bonnet, and felt she would not be equal to the occasion; and she did not know whether Puggy was right in going out with Dawn so late in the afternoon. This was quite enough to bring careworn wrinkles on her small brow.
She started violently when the door opened suddenly and the waiter said: