"And Miss Madge, and Miss Edie, and Jane are quite well?"
"Yes, quite, dear Mansy. Only do be quick, please."
The old nurse bent over and put the packages into the tub.
"There!" she said, as it dipped, "see how that weighs it down."
"Only a bob down when the parcels fell in," Alfy cried merrily. "See, it is all right now. You can't get across any other way," he added decidedly.
"Well, I'll try it," she said slowly; "but I very much doubt——"
She did not finish the sentence, but carefully planting the bulging umbrella in the water, she leaned on it, and then advanced one foot to place in the tub. "Oh, I can't!" she cried, just as the foot was over the side of the tub, and she hastily drew back.
"You could, Mansy dear," exclaimed Alfy. "You were just doing it beautifully!"
"But didn't you see how the tub was going down, Master Alfy?"
"Oh, no, it wasn't; try again, there's a dear!"