"Yes, ma'am; but I don't know which is the right one."
"Are you going to school, then?" asked Mrs. Vandake.
"No, ma'am; I am going to try and learn myself."
"I am afraid that will be hard work, Nelly; but there will be no harm in your trying. Come over to my house to-morrow, and I will give you one of Tony's old books that he has done using."
"Thank you!" said Nelly, her heart beating with pleasure. "I know it will be hard work, but I mean to try."
"And what are you doing there? Making tatting?"
"Yes, ma'am; I am trying; but I don't make it look very nice yet. The scollops won't come alike."
"You must count your stitches," said Mrs. Vandake. "Make five stitches and join, and then two and a loop, and then five again. If you are careful to do so, they will come alike every time."
Nelly followed the advice, and found great pleasure in observing how neat and regular the scollops looked. She worked away till it was too dark to see any longer, and then went to bed with a happier heart than she had known for some time.
The first thing Nelly thought of in the morning was the book Mrs. Vandake had promised her. She had learned the alphabet and some words of two and three letters, and she thought she could perhaps make out others from what she knew already. She resolved to go over to Mrs. Vandake's the first thing after breakfast. But here a great disappointment awaited her.