“Mr Burge—Miss Burge, I am so lonely and helpless here. You have heard about the school pence, but I cannot tell you why the amount was wanting. Give me your help and counsel.”
“Then will you let me help you?”
“I shall be most grateful if you will,” cried Hazel.
“Hullo!” shouted Burge, staring up at the partition. “What are you a-doing there?”
“The shutter slipped down a little, sir,” said Mr Chute loudly. “Trying to close it, sir. That’s it!” and the shutter closed with a snap.
“Oh, that’s it, is it?” said Mr William Forth Burge angrily. “I don’t know as that is it, Mr Chute.” But Mr Chute had by this time fastened the shutter, and had descended from his coign of vantage, looking very red and feeling terribly mortified at having been detected. “He was listening; that’s about what he was doing.”
There was a buzz of excitement amongst the children, but it subsided directly, and Hazel placed at a venture the envelope which she believed to have come from her visitor in his hands.
“You sent that to me, Mr Burge,” said Hazel firmly.
“Well, it was me, as you know, Miss Thorne; and you won’t hurt our feelings by refusing it, will you?”
“I could not take it, sir; but I do appreciate your goodness all the same. Now help me to decide who sent me these letters.”