To our horror, Flora Clark spoke again. "I guess you are right about
their lasting," said she; "I shouldn't think those trousers would
wear out any faster on a five-year-old boy than they would on a pair
of tongs. They certainly won't touch him anywhere."

Mrs. Jameson only smiled in her calmly superior way at that, and we
concluded that she must be good-tempered. As for Flora, she said
nothing more, and we all felt much relieved.

Mrs. Jameson went to sewing on the trousers with the same confidence
with which she had cut them out; but I must say we had a little more
doubt about her skill. She sewed with incredible swiftness; I did not
time her exactly, but it did not seem to me that she was more than
an hour in making those trousers. I know the meeting began at two
o'clock, and it was not more than half-past three when she announced
that they were done.

Flora Clark rose, and Mrs. White clutched her skirt and held her back
while she whispered something. However, Flora went across the room to
the table, and held up the little trousers that we all might see.
Mrs. Jameson had done what many a novice in trousers-making does:
sewed one leg over the other and made a bag of them. They were
certainly a comical sight. I don't know whether Flora's sense of
humor got the better of her wrath, or whether Mrs. White's
expostulation influenced her, but she did not say one word, only
stood there holding the trousers, her mouth twitching. As for the
rest of us, it was all we could do to keep our faces straight. Mrs.
Jameson was looking at her book, and did not seem to notice anything;
and Harriet was sitting with her back to Flora, of which I was glad.