"We can't tell that. My mother has the house for the summer. She has hired it for us all to live in."
"Who does she pay? Do I get any of the money?" continued the little girl. "If this island is going to be mine some time, why not now? Why wait for something that is mine?"
It was very difficult for Jessie and Amy to make her understand the situation. In fact, she began to feel and express doubts about the attempt that was being made to discover and settle the legal phases of the Padriac Haney estate.
"If I don't get my money and my island pretty soon somebody else will get it instead," was the little girl's confident statement.
"Oh, Jess!" exclaimed Amy under her breath, "suppose that should be so. You know Belle Ringold's father is trying to prove his title to the same property."
"Hush!" said Jessie. "Don't let little Hen hear about that. She is getting hard to manage as it is. Henrietta! Where are you going now?" she called after the little girl.
"I'm going out to take a look at some of my island," declared the child, as she banged the screen door.
"She's sure to get into trouble," Jessie observed, sighing.
"Oh, let her go," Amy declared. "Why worry? You can't watch her every minute we are here. She can't very well fall overboard from this island."