"Oh, a halfpenny worth—if they would sell it—half an ounce, Jem; that will make up five pounds of flour well."
"All right."
This time she heard his step go to the bottom, and then she turned round and began to think of her day's work.
"I'll run up and ask mother first," she said; and locking her door, which they were obliged to do in a house with so many lodgers, she ran up-stairs.
In answer to her knock a rather far-off voice called "Come in."
She pushed open the door and entered, but Mrs. Seymour was nowhere to be seen. The bed-room door adjoining was ajar, but Meg hesitated to knock there, as she was sure her mother had said she had a lodger.
But in another moment a voice from within said, "Come in here, please; I can't bear to speak loud."
To Meg's great surprise the speaker's voice came from the further of two beds, and a wan pale face, belonging to an elderly woman, raised itself a little from the pillow.
"Did you want me to come in?" asked Meg, hesitating with a fluttering heart.
"Yes. Mrs. Seymour's run down to find Jenny; she promised to be up early, and she ain't come. You're young Mrs. Seymour, I suppose?"