e every penny,"--but her plans came to an
end in a hamper, into which she plunged head first.

"Babbs isn't going to retire," grunted Tom, as he dragged his sister out.
"Don't talk rubbish, Deb."

Miss Babbs staggered out into the light parlour with a large wooden box,
and dumped it down on the table before her customers. "There's bandana
handkerchiefs on top," she panted, "but there may be a flag or so under."

"The quickest way will be to turn the box upside down, and begin at the
bottom," suggested Tom, as soon as Miss Babbs had retired to her kitchen--
and suited the action to the word.

"Here's one!" cried Debby eagerly, and unfolded a flag with 'God Save our
King and Queen' on it, and portraits of their Majesties.

"And here's one of 'God Bless our Sunday School,'" cried Tom. "Oh, look,
there are three of them. If we nail them upside down they will look all
right. They'll be flags, anyhow."

"It's an insult to hang a flag upside down," corrected Debby, severely.

"All right, I don't mind. Here's a Union Jack, that's jolly, though they
are rather a worry to hang. I never can remember which way they should
go. Not that anyone in Moor End would know if they were right way up or
not."

"Then they ought to be ashamed of themselves," retorted Debby, "and it's
time they were taught." She had lately been reading an article on the
subject and her opinions were very strong with regard to the ignorance
shown by so many. "One Coronation, one Union Jack," she counted, "three
Sunday School--that's five altogether. We ought to have one more to make
the money up to sixpence. I'll have a red and white handkerchief, it will
come in afterwards for Jobey for Christmas."

When, by and by, Mrs. Carlyle passed downstairs to go out through the
garden to the carriage Mr. Vivian had sent to drive her to the Mill House,
she found the banisters festooned with rings of coloured paper, and the
garden ablaze with paper roses and flags. From every tree fluttered a
flag, more or less inappropriate, and on every bush and plant, poppy and
rose, sage and phlox, laurel and sweet briar, blossomed roses of a size
and colour to make a florist's heart rejoice--had they been real.
Suspended across the gateway hung an old white sheet, with 'Many happy
returns,' in red letters, sewn on crookedly.

Smiles and tears fought for mastery in her heart. "It is all meant for
you, mummy," explained Debby, eagerly. "You must pretend what is on