"I thank you again and again, miss," said the nurse, "and so will his mother; there's your beautiful dress all spoiled."
"Oh! that's nothing," said Miss Adams, giving her dress another shake; "it was good fun. But now, when I have saved one of your chickens from a ducking, you cannot think I would hurt the other if you let me have her for a moment."
"Surely I will," said nurse; "but you are not going to stand and talk in such a pickle as that? You'll catch your death of cold."
"No fear," said Miss Adams, "I am tough. Come now, Bessie." She held out her hand to the little girl, and now that she had saved her brother, she went with her willingly. She was not afraid of her any more, though she wondered very much what the lady could have to say to her which nurse might not hear.
"You'll excuse me for speaking as I did before, miss, but I'm an old woman, and cross sometimes, and then you see—" Nurse hesitated.
"Yes, I see. I know I deserved it all," said Miss Adams, and then she led Bessie to the other side of the road. "Suppose I lift you up here, Bessie; I can talk to you better." She lifted her up and seated her on the stone wall which ran along the road.
"Now," she said, leaning her arms upon the wall, "I want to ask you something."
"I know what you want to ask me," said Bessie, coloring.
"What is it, then?"