But to return to our story.
Pollie, seated as before mentioned at Nora's feet, was intently watching her (making very little progress, I fear, with stoning the raisins) as she daintily threaded some berries to form a word, and many a merry laugh was caused by the two children trying to guess what the word was to be.
P was the letter first fixed on to the slip of cardboard, and which she held up to them, smiling brightly.
"I know what it's to be!" cried Sally, who was becoming quite a scholar now; "it's plum-pudding."
But Nora shook her head, saying—
"No, that is not the word I am going to make. Can you guess, Pollie?"
"I don't think I can," was the reply. "Is it"——
"P stands for Pollie," cried out impetuous Sally, in her eagerness almost upsetting her basin of raisins upon the floor. "Perhaps it's that."
There was much merriment over Sally's guessing, and much amazement too on the part of Mrs Grimes, who was utterly astonished at her "gal's larning;" but still Nora shook her head. No, that was not the word intended.
Many were the conjectures hazarded, till at last Pollie resolved to try no more, but wait until the entire word or phrase was finished, both children promising not to look until at a given signal from Nora they should know it was completed. Then they resumed their employment, waiting very patiently for the time. At last it came.