"Come, Miss Flo," said Hetty. "I'll tell you stories all the time—new ones."
"Don't be f'etful, Flo," remarked Lina, who did not go to school on Saturday.
"You would be fr-r-r-etful if you were me," Flo answered, sounding the r very finely. "Yes, and more, too."
Hetty carried her off, thus bringing these personal remarks to a conclusion.
When Mr. Eyre came home, he found the party ready to set off. Going into the parlour for a word with Flo, he found her apparently asleep; so he stole out, and got the other children quietly out of the house, shutting the door softly. Hetty, sitting darning socks, presently saw a pair of tearful eyes opened.
"Hetty, it is wicked, I know, but I do feel that it is very hard on me."
"Miss Flo, dear, you know it is God's will, and He knows what is good for us. Mother always says so. She tells us not to murmur, because God sends what is good for us."
"Yes; but it's easy to say that," replied poor little Flo tearfully.
"Well, miss, when father died, quite sudden, and mother was left to feed and clothe us all without any help, not one word of a grumble did she ever say; but said it was God's doing, and He'd help her to bear it."
"Your mother must be very good, Hetty."