"I thought of her, but it will never answer if we displease nurse.
Besides, I remember at the time Anne came, dear mamma thought there
was danger of a girl's having too many acquaintances, especially
taking the children out walking. We cannot always be sure of sending
her out with Anne."

"Do you remember--" said Ethel, there stopping.

"Well," said both sisters.

"Don't you recollect, Flora, that girl whose father was in the
hospital--that girl at Cocksmoor?"

"I do," said Flora. "She was a very nice girl; I wonder whether
nurse would approve of her."

"How old?" said Margaret. "Fourteen, and tall. Such a clean
cottage!"

The girls went on, and Margaret began to like the idea very much, and
consider whether the girl could be brought for inspection, before
nurse was prejudiced by hearing of her Cocksmoor extraction. At that
moment Richard knocked at the door, and entered with Tom, helping him
to bring a small short-legged table, such as could stand on the bed
at the right height for Margaret's meals or employments.

There were great exclamations of satisfaction, and gratitude; "it was
the very thing wanted, only how could he have contrived it?"

"Don't you recognise it?" said he.