'Yes?' said Bridget, greatly interested, 'and what more? Tell me,
please. It sounds so nice.'

'Sometimes,' Celestina went on--'sometimes I take them to the
country--on the table, you know--and then I build them a house with
books. It does very well if it's only a visit to the country, but it
wouldn't do for a always house, 'cos it has to be cleared away for
dinner.'

Biddy's mouth and eyes were wide open.

'We have dinner in the dining-room with papa and mamma,' she said; 'so
we don't need to clear away off the schoolroom table except for tea.
That's in London. I don't know where we're to have tea here, when Miss
Millet comes back. Don't you have dinner with your papa and mamma--when
they have luncheon, you know?'

In her turn Celestina stared.

'I don't know how you mean. We all have dinner in the parlour,' she
said, 'like--like everybody. But this is our shop,' she added, stopping
and turning so as to face the others. 'If you please, miss,' she went on
to Rosalys, 'this is father's shop. If you'll come in, he'll be there.'

Not a little surprised was Mr. Fairchild to see his daughter showing the
way in to the three children, whom he rightly and at once guessed to be
the new rector's family. Celestina looked quite composed; though so very
quiet and silent a child, she was neither shy nor awkward. She was too
little taken up with herself to have the foolish ideas which make so