The faithful Jenny was at hand to take the part of each, and please both, while she put an end to the dispute.
"But, Mama," said Lilly, "if the boys do nothing but fish all day, may we little girls pick up shells; ah you cannot think what lovely shells there are; I am going to make a collection, and I should like to class them all, and, by the time La Luna comes back, I want to have hundreds and hundreds, and I will take them to ornament my garden, or they will look lovely arranged all round the big hall; or, Mama, dear, we might make a grotto, think how lovely it would be! So let us little girls do nothing but pick up shells. Do, dear Mama, do let us?"
"What a little tongue you have, child. Do you think Zoë and Winny would like to do nothing but pick up shells?"
"I am sure I should not," said Zoë. "I must say I rather think, but I am not quite sure, that I shall not like it all day either," said Winny.
"We'll settle that important question soon, but at present I wish to propound to the company at large whether you think Hargrave and Jenny can wait on us all, without a little help?"
"Oh yes, Ma'am," said the smiling Jenny, "we can do well enough if Master Felix does not wet his feet too often, and the little ladies will do their own hair."
"I shall be happy to assist Jane, Ma'am, in any way I can after I have waited on you," said Hargrave.
"I thank you, Hargrave," said I, "but I must do without the waiting on, we must wait on each other."
"I hope not, Ma'am, I have always endeavoured to give you satisfaction, and should not like seeing any one wait on you but myself."
"Yes, yes, all that I understand, but—"