ing not
to be able at once to tell her aunt the whole story.

She had planned with Bob to meet him that very evening with the money,
so she was glad that Mrs. Caryll, finding it a little later than she
thought, drove home at a good pace.

CHAPTER XII

OUT ON THE MOOR

Uncle Ted was on the look-out for them when they got home.

'It's cold, isn't it?' he said. 'Still I don't think we shall have snow
just yet,' and he glanced up at the sky. 'I want you, as soon as you can
spare me a few minutes, Mattie, to look over these letters we were
speaking about.'

'I shall be down directly,' said Mrs. Caryll. 'Run off, Rosamond dear,
and get ready for your tea. It is pretty sure to be ready for you.'

And so it was. Everything seemed to fit in for the little girl's plans.
The maid who waited on her was not in Rosamond's own room when she went
upstairs, so Miss Mouse contented herself with taking off her hat and
jacket, keeping on her boots to be ready for her expedition to meet Bob.
She also got out a fur-lined cloak, which had been put away as too
shabby for anything but a wrap, and a little close-fitting fur cap to
match. These she carried downstairs and hid them in a corner of the sofa
in the small breakfast-room which was considered her own quarters. And
safe in her pocket nestled her oldest purse--Miss Mouse liked to have
'best' and 'common' among nearly all her possessions--containing the
exact sum, six shillings, which she had promised Bob.

She ate her tea quickly; her little heart was beating faster than usual
with excitement, some fear, and a good deal of real regret at having to
part with her precious savings, though, on the other hand, there was a
feeling of great pleasure at being able to get poor Bob out of trouble,
and to save his kind old grandmother the distress of mind she would
certainly have felt.

For, as I have said before, Miss Mouse was a very sensible little girl.
She quite understood that any trouble of the kind would have done
special harm to poor Nance and her grandson, on account of the prejudice
already felt against them.

Her heart began to beat still more quickly when she found herself out of
doors, and though she was so warmly wrapped up, a queer cold feeling
ran down her back, and her arms seemed all shivery.

'I'll take a good run,' she thought. 'That will make me feel better, and
I've scarcely walked or run at all to-day.'

So it did. She was a strong little girl in many wa