“Such a little beauty!” cried Doris, as she dragged her socks off. “I wanted it for spessiman.”
“You’d better leave ‘specimens’ alone,” said Mother, “if you can’t manage any better than that.”
“Yes, I better leave ‘spessmans’ alone a bit,” agreed Doris, as she shook her socks, for she generally agreed with anyone.
“Of course, you can gather flowers and plants,” said Mother, relenting somewhat, “out in the paddock, where you’re safe.”
“Yes, out where I’m safe,” echoed Doris.
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE SUBSCRIPTION.
“It’s a wonder you ever left the country, if you are so very fond of it,” said Eileen one day to the governess. “You tell us to like it, and yet you went away to Sydney,” she went on, somewhat defiantly.
Miss Gibson paused a while, and then said slowly:
“It was compulsory. My father was once a very wealthy man, but a big smash came, and I was obliged to earn my living, so I went to a City College, and——”
“Oh!” they all murmured, “we are sorry.”