‘These, please,’ she said; and, without waiting for her purchases to be wrapped up, she turned, and with a glance at the other children, a shadowy smile for half an instant wavering over her face, she quietly made her way out of the shop.

‘Poor little girl,’ said Rosalys.  ’You quite frightened her when she spoke, Bridget.  Why did you glare at her so?’

‘I didn’t glare at her; you’re very unkind, Alie, to say so,’ said Biddy, in her complaining tone.

‘Oh, I say, Biddy, don’t be so grumpy,’ Randolph put in, ’and do fix what you’re going to buy.  There’s something over here that papa would like, I know.  A whistle, such a jolly strong one, and only two-pence.  It would do for him to call me in by, and much less trouble than ringing that clumsy bell.’

Biddy went off to look at the whistle.  It was a very neat one, in the shape of a dog’s head, and she at once decided upon it, for she had great faith in Rough’s opinion as to what papa would like.  Then ensued another weighty consultation at the penny stall, where Alie had meantime bought a pair of tiny dolls, which she meant to dress in secret as a ‘surprise’ for her little sister—­’it would be so nice if she took to dressing dolls for herself,’ she thought—­and a yard measure for herself.  Bridget’s perplexities ended in the purchase of one of the neat little chairs and a small table and a tiny china dog.

’They’d be pretty as ornaments on my mantelpiece even if I never have a doll-house,’ she said.  ’And if I did have the doll-house done up, it must have a dog, to keep watch, you know, Alie.’

At the entrance of the bazaar they ran against Mr. Redding.  He looked hot and hurried and was walking very fast, but at sight of them he stopped suddenly, and then, came up to Randolph.

‘Would you excuse me, sir,’ he began, ’if I were to ask you a great favour?  I have just been at the Rectory to see Mr. Vane and I am hurrying off to Brewton by the next train, for unfortunately there is something wrong with one of the organ stops and I must get a man to come over at once.  It would never do not to be able to use the organ properly the first Sunday Mr. Vane is here.  I find it later than I thought, and I had undertaken to leave this note at Mr. Fairchild’s in Pier Street for the rector.  You will pass there on your way home, unless you particularly want to go by Sandy Common?’

‘Oh no,’ said Rough, ’we don’t mind.  Of course I’ll leave it for you, Mr. Redding.  Is there an answer?’

But Mr. Redding, having thrust the note into the boy’s hands, was already some paces off.  He called out some rather incoherent reply, of which ‘thank you, thank you,’ were the only intelligible words.

‘What a fussy little man,’ said Alie.  ’But papa said he was proud of his organ, and it would be horrid at church without it.  Which is Pier Street, Rough, do you know?’

’Not a bit of it—­nor which is Mr. Fairchild’s shop, or if it is a shop.  He only said at Mr. Fairchild’s,’ replied Randolph.  ’I suppose any one can tell us however; it’s not like London.’