"Oh! I didn't know as you'd want me and Merry amongst you," said
Peter.

"Why not? Of course we do," said Patty Pettitoes, who was a very
good-natured little girl.

"Because Finnikin Fine told Merry once she wasn't fit to play with
her, when her clothes was so poor," said Peter.

"Did Finnikin say that?" asked Patty.

"Yes, she did, sure; and she called her a little Paddy, and said, if
she wore such an old, mean gown and bonnet, she'd ought to keep out
of the way of folks that dressed nicer, as she did."

Then all the children turned and looked at Finnikin Fine, and said,--

"Oh, shame, Finnikin! for shame to talk so to good little Merry
Phinn!"

Then Finnikin hung down her head, and blushed very much, and began
to cry; but Merry Phinn went close to her, and whispered,--

"Never mind them, honey. I'll forget it sooner than you will, and
I'll come and help you dress the children tomorrow morning."

"And I'll give you my new pink muslin, and my white beads, and my
bronze slippers with pink rosettes, and, and," began Finnikin; but
Merry put her little brown hand over her mouth, and said, laughing,--