A slight scuffle here ensues between Doris and Dick, both of whom have made a simultaneous dash at the largest apple.
Order being restored, Honor begins to unfold the plans which she and Molly have been making—namely, that she herself means to try and turn her talent for painting to account; while Molly, after many misgivings as to her competency to do so, has made up her mind to try and get pupils for music.
"How do you mean to set about it?" inquires Doris, not without a certain spice of incredulity in her voice.
"Oh, we've settled that—Honor and I!" answers Molly, stirring the fire energetically. "We have the nicest landlords—the dearest old fellows in the world—and they are most anxious to do anything for us that we will let them do. In fact," concludes Molly, "they would jump over the moon, willingly, I am sure, if they thought it would do us the least little bit of good!"
"Molly!" exclaims Honor. "But she is right, to a certain extent; they are the kindest old gentlemen. And they knew father at school, you know, only as quite a small boy; but they make so much of this, and have been, oh, so kind to us! We must take Doris and Daisy to see them, Molly. We promised we would; they are most anxious to make your acquaintance."
"When you have quite finished, Honor, I'll go on with what I was saying," says Molly in an aggrieved tone; adding, "We mean, Doris, to consult these old gentlemen. They know every one about the place, of course; and surely there must be some children wanting the very superior musical education that I can give them—a-hem! Then they are already tremendous admirers of Honor's drawings; I saw them nodding their old heads over that little village scene of hers the other day, and Mr. Ned said, 'Excellent! admirable! so true to nature—is it not, Brother Ben?' And Brother Ben answered, 'Surely! surely!' as he always does, you know."
"It's all very well for you, girls," suddenly breaks in Dick, who, having finished the last apple, finds leisure now for putting in a word, "but no one seems to consider me in any way. I suppose I should like to do something to help also."
"Well, so you can. There will be heaps of things to do about the house that you could easily manage; and that would be really a help," says Doris.
"I don't mean that sort of thing," answers the boy testily. "If you girls are going to work and make money, I must say I should like to do the same. And I would too—only the worst of it is I haven't half finished my schooling yet;" and Dick breaks off with a sigh.
"Poor Dick'" says Honor, taking his hand in hers, "I have been thinking so much about that, and what is best to be done. Bobby's and Daisy's education we can easily carry on among us, and I shall keep Molly up to her French, and teach her the little German I know; but what we are to do about Dick, I don't know, girls. I do know a good bit of Latin, but I daresay he knows as much as I do. Oh, how I wish Uncle John had offered to keep him at Marlborough—if only for another year! he might have done much in that time."