"'We will see about that,' said Mrs. Howard; and she rang the hand-bell which always stood on the table, for bells were not then fixed on cranks and wires in every room as they are now.
"Up came Mrs. Baynes again, and told the little ones that their mother knew where they were, for she had sent her a message by the boy.
"'Then we can stay, ma'am,' said the children, quite pleased: and Mrs. Howard asked to have the dinner sent up, requesting Mrs. Baynes to make up a little more from her own pantry, if she could.
"'That shall be done, ma'am,' she answered; and she
added some eggs and bacon and a currant tart to Mrs. Howard's four bones of roast lamb.
"'We should like to dine with you, ma'am,' said one of the little girls, 'and to drink tea with you sometimes.'
"Mrs. Howard did not yet know one from the other, but she felt that all her old love for children was burning up again in her heart.
"'I am old, my dears,' she answered, 'and cannot bear noise and bustle; if you can be quiet, I shall be glad to see you often, but if you tire me I cannot have you.'
"'I hope we shall be quiet,' they answered; and then they asked her if she was very, very old.
"She told them she was eighty-two; and they said to each other, 'Then we must be very quiet.'