a power
of wheedling favours which none of her sisters could boast, and was
herself agreeably conscious of the fact, and fond of putting it to the
test. "I am sure you will approve of our scheme, and feel pleased with
us for thinking of it. It's for the Mission. We thought of getting up
a little sale among ourselves, and giving the proceeds towards the
funds."

"It is so little that we can give; but if we devote our time and
strength"--murmured Lilias prettily.

"It all adds up when you put it together," said practical Agatha; "and
you can stick on such awful prices. Chrissie and I thought we might
have the refreshments and a pin-cushion stall, and set out little tables
on the lawn."

"Such jolly fun!" gushed Nan. "Every one would come; and we would have
games, and sports, and sails in the boats, and something to pay wherever
they went. The young ones would stay, after the others had gone, to eat
up the strawberries, and we would have pounds and pounds to give to the
secretary."

"Of strawberries?" queried Mrs Rendell coldly. "Your English, Nan, is
painful to hear. I think I shall write down some of your sentences and
give them to you to parse. Then perhaps you may realise how they sound!
A sale for the Mission! That is an ambitious idea. How do you propose
to get together enough work to fill a single stall, much less three or
four?"

"There are five months before July, and we would work like niggers all
the time. Nan would carve, we would sew, all our friends would help,
and we would make money by tea and refreshments. Really and truly, we
could do very well, if you would only say `Yes'."

"And we should so enjoy it! It's horrid having nothing to look forward
to; and if there was this in prospect, we should be busy and occupied,
and the wet days wouldn't seem half so long!"

"Now, let us understand each other," said Mrs Rendell briskly. "Is
this scheme proposed for your own amusement, or for the good of the
Mission? One says one thing, one another, and I can't make up my mind
whether I am asked to consent to a charity or to a novel form of garden-
party. I should like to have that point settled before we go any
further. Are you thinking of yourselves or your neighbours?"

Silence. The sisters looked at one another askance. Elsie sighed and
shook her head, Agatha flushed to the roots of her hair, only Nan
retained her composure, and said daringly--

"Both, mother. We began by saying that