“Oh, don’t go on,” cried Nancy, “about that stupid boy. He couldn’t have supposed his father wanted him to stop there and be all burnt up. I’m sure he wasn’t fit to be trusted.”
“We’re not to have any pocket-money for a month,” continued Ambrose, taking no notice of Nancy; “but I don’t mind that a bit. It’s the other I mind.”
Pennie was sorry for her brother; but this last remark turned her thoughts another way. No pocket-money! She glanced ruefully at her china-house. Fate was certainly against Miss Unity’s mandarin. Nancy saw the glance and smiled triumphantly.
“There, you see!” she exclaimed. “There’s nobody left to give anything to it, so you’d much better give it up, and begin to collect for Kettles.”
In season and out of season she never ceased to impress this on Pennie, and although they did not see Kettles again after meeting her at the College, she soon became quite a familiar acquaintance. The little girls carried on a sort of running chronicle, in which Kettles was the chief character, and was made to do and say various surprising things. Those were mostly suggested by Pennie, for Nancy, though equally interested, would much have preferred a glimpse of the real Kettles herself. She never could secure this, though, whenever she drove into Nearminster, she hung over the waggonette to peer into Anchor and Hope Alley with such earnestness that she nearly toppled over. Once she was somewhat repaid by seeing a ragged man in a long coat and battered hat turn into the alley.
“Pennie,” she said, directly she got back, “I do believe I’ve seen Kettles’ father.”
All these talks and fancies made Pennie feel weaker and weaker in holding to her own plan.
She was tired of standing quite alone, and though her pride was still a little hurt at her failure, she could not help seeing how much more interesting it was to have Nancy’s sympathy and help.
So, one day, she took her money out of the china-house, rubbed the label off the door, and restored the box to David. Nancy knew, when she saw that, that Pennie’s support in the matter of shoes and stockings for Kettles was secure.