Mrs. Brown was in the adjoining kitchen, and hearing Selina's voice, she told the girls to make haste, or they would be late for school.
Minnie hurried to finish, in obedience to her mother's command.
"What a time you are washing your hands!" she said to her little sister. "I must go," she said the next minute, and with a hasty "Good-bye, mother," she hurried out the back way, but was speedily followed by Selina.
"Wait for me, Minnie! Wait for me!" called the little girl.
Minnie looked back and saw her sister waving a letter in her hand, and she ran back to meet her.
"What have you got there?" she asked, rather sharply.
"The letter I told you about. The postman was at the door when I fetched the milk this morning, and he gave it to me. It's one of those nasty blue letters that come from that hospital where poor Fanny died. Wasn't I lucky to get it before mother saw it?" said the child. "It would be sure to make her ill again if she had it, you know."
"What do you mean, Selina? This letter is for father or mother," she added, taking it out of the little girl's hand and looking at the address.
"What are you going to do with it?" asked Selina, as Minnie turned round to walk home again.
"Why, we must take it to mother, of course," said Minnie, quickly.