ce
second-hand frame with her earnings, and her father had fixed it for her.
It was already full of pots of mignonette seeds and fairy-roses, cyclamen
and lilies of the valley, which she was hoping to bring on to sell through
the winter, when flowers would be scarce.

For once Tom stood by, and paid no heed. He was absorbed in a new idea
that had come to him. "Bella," he said at last, "do you know what I've a
good mind to do?"

Bella could see from his face that, whatever it was, he was pleased and
excited about it, so she was prepared to back him up. "What is it?
Do tell!"

"I've a good mind to ask old Mrs. Wintle to let us have her donkey and
cart on Saturday; then we could carry in potatoes and vegetables enough to
make it worth while."

"Wouldn't she charge a lot?" asked Bella doubtfully. "Doesn't she ask
half-a-crown a day and his food? That would be a lot out of what we make,
and Aunt Emma would grumble like anything!"

"Of course it would cost something, but see what a lot more stuff we could
take in to sell. I believe it would pay, and I've a good mind to chance
it. I tell you what I'll do. I'll pay for the donkey for a week or two,
out of what I've saved, and then we shall see if it's worth it or not, and
if it isn't, well, Aunt Emma won't be any the worse off."

"But you will!"

"I am going to risk it; I'd rather spend my money on that than anything.
I believe it'll answer. Anyway, we shan't know till we try. Think of the
time we shall save too! We needn't start so early by an hour or two, and
we shall get back in time to do a bit of work out here too."

"That would be fine," agreed Bella, "and we shouldn't be so dreadfully
tired either." The long walk had begun to be rather a trial to her.
"Will you tell Aunt Emma about it, Tom? She takes things better from
you."

To the surprise of both of them, Miss Hender 'took the news' very well
indeed, and fell in with the plan at once instead of opposing it.
"You'll save ever so much in shoe leather," she said, "and any amount of
time and trouble. And look here," holding out her apron, in which were a
number of large brown eggs, "couldn't you carry in some of these and sell
them? There's some to go to your father, but there's a-plenty more, and
they're fine ones too."

Bella's face brightened. "Why, of course we could! However didn't we
think of it before? It'll be fine, Aunt Emma," and she longed to skip for
joy.

"If we'd had them, y