The children had been watching this play with the greatest interest, and often laughed aloud, when all at once Posy exclaimed,—
“Why, there is a little girl without any shoes and stockings on, and her’s got a basket on her arm. What do you suppose her wants, Tom?”
The little barefooted girl was Nancy, whom the sparrow had succeeded in enticing by means of the red ribbon with gold figures on it. She had stood watching the kittens play for some minutes before Posy saw her.
“She’s got something to sell, I guess,” said Tom.
Just then Hannah came to the door, and the children told her about the little girl.
“Go away!” said Hannah; “we don’t want to buy anything.”
The child came a step nearer and said timidly,—
“Will you please to buy some matches, ma’am?”
“No,” said Hannah shortly; “we don’t want any pedlers ’round here.”
The child sighed and turned away.