But alas! no Joy-bells had arrived for Jasmine, and after the little girl had wondered a great deal, and talked the matter over with Bridget she determined to put on her hat and go off to consult with Poppy.

She was not long finding her way to Penelope Mansion, and Poppy opened the door for her, but greeted her in a sad voice, and looked decidedly depressed.

“I have come about The Joy-bell” began Jasmine at once, in an excited voice.  “It ought to have come—­my hundred copies, you know, and they haven’t.  I must go to inquire about it at once; and, Poppy, dear, could you come with me?”

Poppy turned very red.

“No, Miss Jasmine, darling, I couldn’t,” she said, in the meekest voice.

Poppy’s tones were so unlike those she usually employed that Jasmine glanced at her in some surprise.

“Why, Poppy, how funny you are!” she exclaimed.  “Is anything the matter?”

“Don’t you notice it, Miss Jasmine, but I’m a bit low-like,” said Poppy.  “I has my low fits and my high fits same as t’other folks, and this is a low fit day—­that’s all, miss.”

“Oh!  I am so sorry.  Poor Poppy!  And is the swimming in your head as bad as ever?”

“It’s continual, Miss Jasmine.  It seems to have become a kind of habit, same as the smuts and the Sarah Janes.  A swimming head is most certain the London style of head for a girl like me.  Yes, I am sorry I can’t go with you, Miss Jasmine, darling, but I can’t this morning.  I hope you will get safe to the City, miss, and that you will see the editor, and give it to him sharp for not sending you your Joy-bells.  Oh, my, Miss Jasmine! to think that your beautiful words is in print at last!  Most likely the whole of London is flooded by them now, and the editor will be asking you for more of your words of beauty and wisdom.  You make a sharp bargain with him, Miss Jasmine, and before you put pen to paper again for him, you get your money down.  There’s nothing so safe in clinching a bargain as money down.  Oh, dear!  I wish I could go with you.  And, Miss Jasmine, if you could find it convenient to pay me back say one and sixpence of the little loan, I’ll be for ever obliged, darling.”

At this moment Mrs. Flint’s voice was heard calling Poppy, and demanding who she was standing gossiping with.  Mrs. Flint’s voice sounded quite sharp, and Jasmine guessed that something unusual must have occurred to disturb her, for Mrs. Flint was known on principle never to excite herself.

“What is the matter with her?” she inquired of Poppy, who flushed up at her tones.

“Oh, nothing, miss.  She’s only a bit put out about the broken boots.  There, I must run.”

Poppy almost shut the door in Jasmine’s face.  She was certainly very unlike her usual self.

Jasmine walked down the steps of the Mansion, and slowly, very slowly, went up the street to meet the omnibus which was to convey her Citywards.