"Of something Susan Pike has just told me," laughed Jane. "It might have turned out to be no laughing matter, though. Jack Tuff has taken a drop too much this morning and fallen out of a little boat he got into. Susan says he came up the beach like a drowned rat."
Jane went into the house while talking, and put down the basket she had carried. Miss Hallet followed her.
"I could only get the scrag end this morning, aunt: the best end was sold. So it must be boiled. And there's the newspaper, aunt: Mrs. Bent ran across to me with it."
"Put it on at once, then, with a sliced carrot or two," said Miss Hallet, alluding to the meat.
"And bacon," resumed Jane, "is a halfpenny a pound dearer. I think, aunt, it would be well to buy a good-sized piece of bacon at Stilborough. I am sure we give Pike a penny a pound more than we should pay there."
"Well--yes--it might be," acknowledged Miss Hallet for once: who very rarely listened to offered suggestions.
"I could bring it back this afternoon," observed Jane. "What should take you to Stilborough this afternoon, pray?"
"I want to take the socks in. And you know, aunt--I told you--that Mrs. Pugh asked me to go to tea there one day this week: I may as well stay with her to-day."
Jane had expected no end of opposition; but Miss Hallet made none. She went out to walk again without further remark, leaving Jane to the household duties. It turned out that Susan Pike was going to Stilborough, being also invited to Mrs. Pugh's. Jane mentioned it to her aunt at dinner, but Miss Hallet answered nothing.
About four o'clock, that damsel, attired in all the colours of the rainbow and as gay as a harlequin, came running up the cliff to call for Jane. Jane, dressed neatly, and looking very nice as usual, was ready for her; and they started together, Jane carrying her paper of socks and an umbrella.