the rainy weather. He
supposed the bag was full of good things for the little ones and said
it was only right that the youngsters should enjoy themselves while they
were young. Maria agreed with him and favoured him with demure nods and
hems. He was very nice with her, and when she was getting out at the
Canal Bridge she thanked him and bowed, and he bowed to her and raised
his hat and smiled agreeably, and while she was going up along the
terrace, bending her tiny head under the rain, she thought how easy it
was to know a gentleman even when he has a drop taken.

Everybody said: "O, here's Maria!" when she came to Joe's house. Joe was
there, having come home from business, and all the children had their
Sunday dresses on. There were two big girls in from next door and games
were going on. Maria gave the bag of cakes to the eldest boy, Alphy, to
divide and Mrs. Donnelly said it was too good of her to bring such a big
bag of cakes and made all the children say:

"Thanks, Maria."

But Maria said she had brought something special for papa and mamma,
something they would be sure to like, and she began to look for her
plumcake. She tried in Downes's bag and then in the pockets of her
waterproof and then on the hallstand but nowhere could she find it.
Then she asked all the children had any of them eaten it--by mistake, of
course--but the children all said no and looked as if they did not like
to eat cakes if they were to be accused of stealing. Everybody had a
solution for the mystery and Mrs. Donnelly said it was plain that Maria
had left it behind her in the tram. Maria, remembering how confused the
gentleman with the greyish moustache had made her, coloured with shame
and vexation and disappointment. At the thought of the failure of her
little surprise and of the two and fourpence she had thrown away for
nothing she nearly cried outright.

But Joe said it didn't matter and made her sit down by the fire. He
was very nice with her. He told her all that went on in his office,
repeating for her a smart answer which he had made to the manager. Maria
did not understand why Joe laughed so much over the answer he had made
but she said that the manager must have been a very overbearing person
to deal with. Joe said he wasn't so bad when you knew how to take him,
that he was a decent sort so long as you didn't rub him the wrong way.
Mrs. Donnelly played the piano for the children and they danced and
sang. Then the two next-door