“You can’t think how exciting it is, mother,” said Susy.  “And you know the best of the fun is, they are making no end of a fuss in the school.  They’re trying to find out all about poor Kathleen’s society, in order to put a stop to it and to call the foundationers to order; but the only effect of the fuss is to make more and more of the girls want to join.  I saw Kathleen for a few minutes this morning, and she said that she had twelve applications for badges already to-day, but she told the new girls that they had best not come to the meeting to-night, as there wouldn’t be room for them.  Kathleen is in the highest spirits; she is just laughing and dancing about and looking like a sunbeam.”

“Dear, dear!” said Mrs. Hopkins.  “I do hope it’s nothing wicked.  You girls of the present day are so queer, there’s no being up to half your pranks.  It would be a sorry day for me if you were banished from the school, Susy.”

“Oh, I won’t be.  It will be all right.  Anyhow, this is delicious fun, and I mean to go on with it.  What have you got for the old lady’s tea, mother?”

“Well, now, look here.  Of course, she’s only going to give tea to Miss O’Hara and Miss O’Flynn—­I haven’t seen that lady—­and yourself and Tom.  That’s about all.”

“And Tom will have a pretty keen appetite,” said Susy.  “I’ll tell Miss Kathleen that she is to be at Aunt Church’s house quite half-an-hour before the rest of the girls, so that aunty can have her talk with her and arrange about the almshouse, and also that Kathleen and Miss O’Hara may have their meal in comfort.  What’s the grub, mother?  Tell me at once.”

“Bread-and-butter,” said Mrs. Hopkins, beginning to count on her fingers, “a pot of strawberry-jam—­”

“Oh, golloptious!” burst from Susy.

“A plumcake—­”

“Better and better!” cried Susy.

“A little tin of sardines—­some ladies are fond of a savory—­”

“Yes, mother; quite right.  And so is aunty, for that matter.  You haven’t forgotten the water-cress, have you?”

“Here’s a great bunch of it.  You must turn the tap over it and wash it as clean as clean.  And what with new-laid eggs, and tea with cream in it, and loaf-sugar, why, I think that’s about enough.”

“So it is, mother; and it’s beautiful.  But, mother, I do think Aunt Church would relish a pound of sausages.  It isn’t often she has anything of that kind to eat; she lives very penuriously, you know, mother.”

“Well, I suppose I can fling in the sausages.  I’ll just run round to the shop and buy them.  Now then, eat your own dinner, Susy, and be quick.  Tom has eaten his, and has gone to fetch the wheelbarrow from Dan Smith, the cartwright.”

Mrs. Hopkins’s programme was carried out.  Tom arrived at the door with the wheelbarrow about two o’clock.  The provisions were stowed safely away in the bottom and covered over with a piece of old matting, and then Tom and Susy started off.  Both boy and girl were in high spirits.  The day was as fine as it had been on the previous day, and Susy chattered to her heart’s content.