her own little girls'." And then she told Miss Vincent all about the
dresses, so that Rosy's uncomfortable feeling went away, and she felt
grateful to her mother.

After luncheon the little girls went out together in the garden.

"I'm so glad to be together again," said Bee, "it seems to me as if I
had hardly seen you to-day, Rosy."

"What nonsense!" said Rosy. "Why, I was only in auntie's room for
about a quarter of an hour after Miss Pink went."

"A quarter of an hour," said Bee. "No indeed, Rosy. You were more than
an hour, I am sure. I was reading to Fixie in the nursery, for he's
got a cold and he mayn't go out, and you don't know what a great lot I
read. And oh, Rosy, Fixie wants so to know if he may have your beads
this afternoon, just to hold in his hand and look at. He can't hurt
them."

"Very well," said Rosy. "He may have them for half an hour or so, but
not longer."

"Shall I go and give them to him now?" said Bee, ready to run off.

"Oh no, he won't need them just yet. Let's have a run first. Let's see
which of us will get to the middle bush first--you go right and I'll
go left."

This race round the lawn was a favourite one with the children. They
were playing merrily, laughing and calling to each other, when a