"So'm I," said Rob. "Isn't it dinner-time?"
"Dinner-time!" exclaimed their mother. "Did you really not have any more idea of the time than that! Why, it is three o'clock! Where have you been?"
"Not very far, mamma," answered Nelly; "only up where old Molly tumbled in. Rob thought perhaps that hole was a mine. It's all full of these shining stones. Isn't it too bad, mamma?"
"Isn't what too bad, Nell?" said Mrs. March.
"Why, too bad that they ain't silver," replied Nelly. "We thought we could all have every thing we wanted."
Mrs. March laughed.
"What do you want most of all this minute?" she said.
"Something to eat, mamma," said Nelly.
"Well, that you can have; and that I hope we can always have without any silver mine: and to-day we have something very good to eat."
"Oh! what, mamma, what? say, quick!" said Rob.