"It 'ud be a charity to alter one of my dresses for her, that it would," said Jane; "no wonder, if she ain't got no mother. But how her poor things was patched and mended; and how white her apron was. They're clean people who belong to her, if they are poor."
And so it came to pass, when Cherry had done her steps the next morning, the cook asked her to step into the kitchen with a very pleased look.
Cherry entered wondering, and then Jane ran down-stairs in a great bustle, and said she couldn't stay, but did nevertheless, while they produced her print dress, which cook explained had shrunk in the wash, and which they had together altered to Cherry's size.
"There!" said Jane, "we were up till I don't know what time doing it, and I believe it 'ull fit splendid."
Cherry, for thanks, burst into tears, at which both the kind-hearted girls looked very concerned. But when she could look up again, she said gently—
"Please, you mustn't think as those belongin' to me wouldn't give me clothes; but there's been illness and death in the house, and they took me and my little brother when we was in the greatest want. They're ever so kind to us, only mother-Meg has not been strong enough to see about anything yet."
The pathetic eyes of the child, begging for indulgence, lest her best friends should be blamed for her poverty, quite struck the two well-to-do young women, and the cook answered quickly—
"I quite believe it, my dear; don't have any fear of us. Take your dress home, and tell—who is it, dear?"
"Mother-Meg——"
"Tell her that you've been a very good girl, and have done your steps very nicely to-day. I'll come and see her one of these days."