"I'm not a bit good," said Inez, "never!"
"Then you can't be a happy little girl."
Inez was silent, then she began to chatter to Diana, and Mrs. Inglefield let the children talk together.
They soon reached the farm; Mrs. Cobb was upstairs in bed, so Mrs. Inglefield went up to see her, and Diana and Inez climbed the gate and sat on the top rail of it, swinging their legs to and fro, and talking eagerly together.
A pleasant-faced young woman, a niece of Mrs. Cobb's, presently came out of the house with two glasses of milk and two slices of currant cake. The children thanked her, and left their gate and came into the old porch and sat down there to enjoy what was given them. Diana was looking with the greatest interest at a hen and her tiny chicks who were on the bit of grass lawn before the house.
"What darlings!" she said. "How I wish I could have some little chickens of my own! I've never seen them in London."
"We have a lot," said Inez. "I'll bring you one or two if you like, unless the old hen makes a fuss and tries to peck my eyes out."
Diana was delighted. "I'll make a little home for them in my doll's house," she said; "I brought it from London, and the doors all open and shut, so they could run in and out."
They were very busy talking about it when Mrs. Inglefield appeared.
They walked across the fields, and then Mrs. Inglefield told Inez that she had better run home.