"I shall write him a letter, Daffy, and ask him to write to Nurse and ask us."
"Or a wire," suggested Daffy joyfully. "Mums always asks people to tea by wires or the telephone."
"We haven't a telephone here, but there's a post office in the village. Oh, Daffy, could one of us creep in and send a wire?"
"It's a lot of money, Freda. Wouldn't a letter do?"
"Better still," said Freda excitedly; "we'll send a message—we'll get somebody to take a message. We'll find some one when we get to the village. Nurse said she was going to buy some stamps."
So, full of hope, the little girls walked on, and the village was soon reached. The post office was next to the general shop, and when Nurse went into the post office, Freda asked if she and Daffy could buy some sweets next door. Nurse gave the required permission, and they dashed in. Daffy produced her purse and began choosing her sweets; Freda eagerly turned to the stout smiling woman behind the counter.
"Do you send any of your loaves or tea or veg'tables to the Dower House?"
"Yes, dearie, very often. Mrs. Daw has all her soap and soda and such-like from us. My Willie is going up this evening with a tin of paraffin."
"Oh, please, will you get him to take a message from us to—to—is he Captain Arnold?"
"Yes, that's his name, poor gentleman. Such a pleasant-spoken gent he be, too!"