e half-way back. Like as
not we'll never have another penny to spend as long as we live, an' I'm
goin' to see that ye'll all get somethin' that will last."

She was beginning to fear that theirs would be the fate of the man from
Letterkenny, when she chanced upon Peter and Toby performing for the
benefit of the pipers.

"Them trusters will never be lettin' Pether take that dog back to the
horspital," she thought, mindful of the sign in Saint Margaret's yard
that dogs were not allowed. "He'd have to be changin' him back into a
make-believe dog to get him in at all; an' Pether'd never be satisfied
wi' him that way, now--afther havin' him real."

Her trouble took her to the queen. "Is there any way of buyin' a dog
into a horspital?" she asked, solemnly.

"I think it would be easier to buy a home to put him in."

"Could ye--could ye get one for the price of a penny?" Bridget
considered her own question, and coupled it with something she
remembered Sandy had been wishing for back in Ward C. "Wait a minute;
I'll ask ye another. Could ye be buyin' a home for childher an' dogs
for the price of a penny?"

The queen nodded.

"Would it be big enough for nine childher--an' one dog; an' would it be
afther havin' all improvements like Miss Peggie an' the House Surgeon?"

Again the queen nodded.

Bridget lowered her voice. "An' could we put up a sign furninst, 'No
Trusters Allowed'?"

"I shouldn't wonder."

"Then," said Bridget, with decision, "I've thought all round it twict
an' my mind's been made to stay; we'll buy a home."

She made a hollow of her two hands and called, "Whist--whist there, all
o' yez! Pether an' Pancho--Michael--Susan--do ye hear!" And when she
had them rounded up, she counted them twice to make sure they were all
present. "Now ye listen." Bridget raised a commanding finger to the
circle about her while she exhibited the golden penny. "Is there any
one objectin' to payin' this down for a home?"

"What kind of a home?" asked Susan, shrewdly.

"Sure the kind ye live in--same as other folks have that don't live in
horspitals or asylums."

"Hurrah!" chorused everybody, and Bridget sighed with relief.

"Faith, spendin' money's terrible easy."

She put the penny in the queen's out-stretched hand. "Do I get a piece
o' paper sayin' I paid the money on it?" she demanded, remembering her
responsibility.

This time the queen shook her head. "No; I give you only my promise;
but a promise