wrinkled face.

"What else have you?" inquired Alice, as she turned over a box of
thimbles, and pulled out a large handkerchief. "What a splendid thing!"
said Alice; but at the same time she winked at Fanny, and laughed.

[Illustration: THE GIRLS AND THE PEDDLER.]

"Half cotton," said Fanny; "and now pray tell me when you take time to
split your skeins of silk."

"I never do such a thing!" said the old man, with some spirit.

"Perhaps not," was the reply; "I suppose your profits are enough to
hire it done; but here is a shawl,--what is the price of it?"

"Five dollars, miss; and a good bargain at that." "Five dollars! O
what a cheat!" and Fanny laid the shawl, all unfolded, upon the grass,
where scissors, needles, buttons, tape, pins, &c., lay strewed in wild
confusion. Once more the poor man wiped his forehead, and kept his
patience. It is bad policy for the poor to lose their patience.

"There comes Mary Palmer, and the missionary of Appledale," said Fanny.
"Mr. Cotting will have to give up his office, or take Miss Lindsay as
colleague."

Fanny knew that Emma was near enough to hear these remarks, but she did
not know for what intent the feeble girl had taxed her strength in
walking so far to see her.