dry, it hurts me."

"Go and get a drink of water."

"Oh, my froat! Oh, my tum-tum! Oh, my froat!" said Penelope again.

Mr. Dale rose from his seat at last.

"I never was so worried in my life," he said. "What is it, child? Out
with it. What is wrong?"

Penelope managed to raise eyes brimful of tears to his face.

"If you knowed that your own little girl was suffering from bad froat and
doubly-up tum-tum, and that sixpence would make her well--quite, really,
truly well--wouldn't you give it to her?" said Penelope.

"How can sixpence make you well? If you really have a sore throat and a
pain we ought to send for the doctor."

"Sixpence is much cheaper than the doctor," said Penelope. "Sixpence will
do it."

"How?"

"It will buy peppermints."

"Well, then, here it is, child. Take it and be off."

Penelope snatched it. Her face grew cheerful. She shot up the blind with
a deft movement. She jumped from her seat on the window-ledge. She was no
longer doubled up.

"Thank you, dad," she said. "Thank you--thank you."

She rushed away.

"I'll have another sixpence to-morrow," she thought. "That's a whole
beautiful shilling. I will do fine when I am at the seaside."

Penelope could scarcely sleep that night. She got up early the next
morning. She was determined to stand at the gate and watch for the
postman. The letters usually arrived about eight o'clock. The postman
hove in sight, and Pen rushed to meet him.

"Have you letters--a letter for me?" she asked.

"No, Miss Penelope, but there is one for your nurse."

"It is from Easterhaze," said the child. "Thank you--thank you, posty."

She snatched the first letter away from the old man and darted away with
it. Into the nursery she rushed.

"Here it is, nursey. Open it, quick! I am to go; I know I am."

Nurse did open the letter. It was from Miss Tredgold, and it ran as
follows:

"DEAR NURSE: Penelope is evidently too much for you. I intend to remain
two or three days longer in this pleasant place, so do not expect me home
next week. I shall have Penelope here, so send her to me by the first
train that leaves Lyndhurst Road to-morrow. Take her to the station and
put her into the charge of the guard. She had better travel first-class.
If you see any nice, quiet-looking lady in the carriage, put Penelope
into her charge. I enclose a postal order for expenses. Wire to me by
what train to expect the child."

The letter ended with one or two more directio