her
little properties tightly and refused to give up office.

"_Me_ will be cabin-boy," was all she said when Pennie tried to persuade
her.

"You see she's so little," said the latter apologetically to Ethelwyn,
"there's no other part she _can_ take, and she likes the pail and broom
so."

"Oh, very well," said the latter carelessly, "then I don't care to play
any more. It's a very stupid game, and only fit for boys."

Things did not go on pleasantly at Easney just now, and the longer
Ethelwyn stayed the more frequent became the quarrels; she had certainly
brought strife and confusion with her, and by degrees there came to be a
sort of division amongst the children. Pennie and Ethelwyn walked
apart, and looked on with dignified superiority, while the others played
the old games with rather more noise than usual. Pennie tried to think
she liked this, but sometimes she would look wistfully after her merry
brothers and sisters and feel half inclined to join them; the next
minute, however, when Ethelwyn tossed her head and said, "How vulgar!"
she was quite ashamed of her wish.

She wondered now how it was that she had been able to play with the boys
so long without disagreement before Ethelwyn came. Of course these
quarrels were all their fault, for in Pennie's eyes Ethelwyn could do no
wrong; if sometimes it was impossible to help seeing that she was greedy
and selfish, and even told fibs, Pennie excused it in her own mind--
indeed, these faults did not seem to her half so bad in Ethelwyn as in
other people, and by degrees she thought much more lightly of them than
she had ever done before.

For Ethelwyn had gained a most complete influence over her, partly by
her beauty, and partly by her coaxing, flattering ways. It was all so
new to Pennie; and, though she was really a sensible little girl, she
loved praise and caresses overmuch; like many wiser people, she could
not judge anyone harshly who seemed to admire her.

So she was Ethelwyn's closest companion in those days, and even began to
imitate what she considered her elegant manners. She spoke mincingly,
and took short little stiff steps in walking, and bent her head
gracefully when she said, "Yes, please," or "No, thank you." The new
plush bonnet was a misery to her, and she sighed to be beautifully
dressed.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

THE CHINESE MANDARIN.

This uncomfortable state of things had been going on for nearly a
fortnight, and Ethelwyn's visit