'Why must you be in by half-past four?' asked Biddy.

'It's getting dark by then,' said Celestina. 'Besides there's things to
do. I get the tea ready very often. When mother's not very busy it waits
for her till she can leave the shop, but to-day I know she's busy, 'cos
father's got a great many letters to write. So I'll get the table all
ready.'

Bridget gazed at her.

'Do you like doing it?' she asked. 'You're such a little girl, you
see--not much bigger than me, and you play with dolls.'

'I like to be useful to mother,' said Celestina simply.

This was rather a new idea to Bridget, and she was sometimes very lazy
about thinking over new ideas.

'Alie's useful to mamma, I suppose,' she said, 'but then she's the
eldest. And you're the only one--that's why, I daresay. Is it nice to be
the only one?'

'Sometimes it's very alone,' said Celestina, 'some days when mother's
very busy and I scarcely see her, and I've nobody to show the dolls to.'

'I know,' said Biddy. 'I'm rather alone too, for Alie's so big, you see.
Oh, Celestina, do look, isn't this a beauty? Look, it's all pinky
inside. Now I've got six and this beauty. I think that'll do for to-day.
I'm tired of looking.'