At this opportune moment the door opened, and the chubby little urchin himself trotted in.
"Where's 'dranny?" he asked, without further ceremony.
"I do not know, Alfy," answered Mrs. Arundel. "Come here, dear."
"I shan't! I want 'dranny. 'Dranny p'omised me a bit of sudar if I was dood; and me am dood, so where's the sudar?"
They all laughed, and Mrs. Arundel went to the cupboard and gave him a piece.
"Perhaps granny's busy," she said; "so stop here, Alfy."
"I'm doeing to!" said Alfy, putting the piece in all at once.
"What have you been doing to-day?" asked Christina, bending forward and holding out her hand.
"P'aying in 'darden. 'Dranny says I naughty 'cos I dirty my pinner!"
"Well, it is dirty, Alfy," said Nellie; "but granny won't mind, if you are obedient."