"Oh, he's away, trying to make his fortune in Africa."
At this moment the tea-bell rang, and the conversation ended; but Nurse had said enough to rouse a great interest in the hearts of her young charges concerning the new inmates of Rose Cottage.
As it happened, Kenneth was the first of the Snowden family to make the acquaintance of little Ella Russell. Their meeting was in this wise.
A day or two after the inmates of Rose Cottage had settled in their new abode, Kenneth chanced to see Ella standing in the garden.
Rose Cottage was situated close to the large white gates which led to Berryland Hall—the residence of the Snowden family—hence the children's interest in the tiny abode.
It was a bleak January morning, and little Ella, with a dust-pan in her hand, was about to sprinkle cinder ashes on the garden path. It was in an exceedingly slippery state owing to the frost.
"Hullo, Cinderella!" said Kenneth with a twinkle in his eye. "What are you doing that for?"
"Because it's so slippery," replied the child with a certain little dignity; "and my name isn't 'Cinderella,' please."
"No, but that's what I'm going to call you. Your name is Ella, isn't it?"
"Yes, but how did you know?" Little Ella looked surprised.