"Very pretty, and how nicely you do it!" said Ethel, examining the colored prints. "But what is it for?"
"I will tell you all about it," replied Bessy, seating herself at the table, after she had drawn up a chair for Ethel.
"You know, my uncle publishes a great many children's books with colored pictures. He has always employed a woman to paint them; but she is dead now, and he did not know what to do at first; but finally he asked us if we did not want to earn some Christmas money. He brought two or three for us to learn on, and showed us how, and we have worked upon them all our spare time this week. But there are a great many more than we shall be able to finish, and he wants to find some one else to take part of them. You see it does not answer to employ every one, because some would be careless and spoil them."
While Bessy was speaking, there flashed across Ethel's mind the remark her mother had made the night before: "If you want any Christmas money, you must earn it."
"Do you think your uncle would let me try some of them?" she asked. "I want to earn some money very much."
"If you could do it nicely—" said Bessy doubtfully.
"Of course she could," interrupted Rosa. "She knows more about painting than either of us. Don't you remember that she took lessons last summer?"
"Of course," assented Bessy, "I did not think of that. I am pretty sure he would, Ethel; but you can ask him, for he will be here presently."
"Let Ethel try on one of these easy ones," said Rosa, "and then she can show it to uncle when he comes."
Ethel drew off her gloves and set herself about the task with much interest. She was accustomed to the use of water-colors, and her work proceeded rapidly, so that when warned by the clock that it was time for her to hasten home, she had finished a very pretty picture. She did not like to stay longer, knowing that her mother would need her help, so she left her work with the girls, who promised to show it to their uncle when he came in.