Then we wanted some new paints, and Noel wanted a pencil and a halfpenny
account-book to write poetry with, and it does seem hard never to have
any apples. So, somehow or other nearly all the money got spent, and we
agreed that we must let the advertisement run loose a little longer.

'I only hope,' Alice said, 'that they won't have got all the ladies and
gentlemen they want before we have got the money to write for the sample
and instructions.'

And I was a little afraid myself, because it seemed such a splendid
chance; but we looked in the paper every day, and the advertisement was
always there, so we thought it was all right.

Then we had the detective try-on--and it proved no go; and then, when
all the money was gone, except a halfpenny of mine and twopence of
Noel's and three-pence of Dicky's and a few pennies that the girls had
left, we held another council.

Dora was sewing the buttons on H. O.'s Sunday things. He got himself a
knife with his money, and he cut every single one of his best buttons
off. You've no idea how many buttons there are on a suit. Dora counted
them. There are twenty-four, counting the little ones on the sleeves
that don't undo.

Alice was trying to teach Pincher to beg; but he has too much sense when
he knows you've got nothing in your hands, and the rest of us were
roasting potatoes under the fire. We had made a fire on purpose, though
it was rather warm. They are very good if you cut away the burnt
parts--but you ought to wash them first, or you are a dirty boy.