At the park, Mrs. Myles had seemed unfriendly to all of the Brownie Scouts. The two girls could not understand why she previously had been so cross unless their questions about the sack had annoyed her.
“W-ell,” hesitated Veve. She very much wanted a piece of the warm bread, but did not wish to appear too eager. From the barren appearance of the kitchen she was afraid the woman might not have very much food for herself.
“Of course you want a slice of bread,” declared Mrs. Myles. “I never met a child who wasn’t hungry. I’ll give you each a large slice. I’m sorry I have no butter. Now tell me what brought you here this afternoon.”
Feeling far more at ease, the girls explained that the Brownie Scouts were collecting old and historical buttons.
“Well, that sounds like an interesting hobby,” declared Mrs. Myles.
“The other girls are getting ahead of us,” Veve disclosed. “So we thought we would come here and ask if you have any old ones.”
“Not good buttons,” Connie said, stooping to pet a black and white cat that rubbed against her legs. “Just buttons you no longer use.”
“Let me see,” murmured Mrs. Myles, thinking hard. “Why, yes! I must have dozens and dozens of them.”
“Old ones?” gasped Veve hopefully.
“Goodness, yes! The chest in the storeroom is stacked with old clothes.”