could have made it
better. It was far past mending, for, besides the two or three large
pieces Pamela had seized, there lay on the ground a mass of smaller
fragments, down to mere crumbs of china.

"_Toby_ couldn't have done it, could he?" said Pamela. "He stayed in
here when us went down to prayers."

"No, oh no! _Toby_ couldn't have broken it," said Duke; "and even if he
had, it would not have been his fault. He didn't put it down on the
floor. It was near here he ate the bread and milk up--perhaps he rolled
the bowl behind the table."

"And Biddy pushed the table against it when she was taking away the
things. Yes, that must have been it," said Pamela. "Biddy couldn't have
noticed there was only one bowl on the tray."

"Anyway she didn't look for it," said Duke. "She is very careless; Nurse
often says so."

"But us can't put the blame on her," said Pamela. "Us _must_ tell,
Duke."

Duke had the pieces of china in his hand, and was carefully considering
them.

"Will Grandmamma be vexed, do you think, sister?"

"Grandmamma doesn't like things being brokened," said Pamela. "And Nurse
said one day these bowls was very good china."

"And Grandmamma will ask all about how it was broken," added Duke
dolefully; "and then us'll have to tell about giving Toby our bread and
milk, and oh, sister, I said the bowls was _quite_ empty, to make her
think _us_ had emptied them!"

"I'm afraid Grandmamma will fink us is _very_ naughty," agreed Pamela;
"she'll fink us don't listen to that--that speaking inside us that she
was telling us about,--for it's quite true, bruvver; I felt it was quite
true when she was talking. It _does_ speak. I heard it this morning when
us was planning about not telling. Only I didn't listen," and the tears
rolled slowly down the little girl's face.

"I heard it too, sister. Yes, it's quite true," said Duke, beginning to
sob. "But I can't go and tell Grandmamma now. There's such a great deal
to tell; it isn't only about Toby. It's about having said the bowls was
empty," and Duke's sobs redoubled. "Supposing--supposing, sister, us
didn't tell Grandmamma just this time, and us would never, _never_ not
listen to that speaking inside us again?"

Pamela hesitated. She stood quite quite still, her eyes gazing before
her, but as if seeing nothing--she seemed to be listening.

"Bruvver," she said at last, "I can't tell you yet. I must fink. But I'm
_almost_ sure it's speaking now. I'm almost sure it's