d then we three are going to sell
our furniture here, and to give up the cottage, and say good-bye to
dear Hannah, and we are going to London. In London we shall learn. I
am going to have lessons in painting, and Jasmine shall study English
composition, and she shall be taught how to write properly; and Daisy,
too, must be taught, and we will do that with our money which is now
in the bank, and when it is spent we shall be able to support
ourselves. After all, it is a very simple plan, and the best thing
about it is that it will keep us together."

When Primrose began to talk Mrs. Ellsworthy threw down her hands in
her lap with a gesture of great impatience. Now she asked in a short
dry voice, "May I ask what money you have in the bank?"

"Yes, certainly--we have two hundred pounds--a little of that must be
spent in paying one or two small accounts, but then we shall have the
money as well from the sale of our furniture. Yes, I think we shall
have quite two hundred pounds to take to London."

"And we are going to be very economical," interposed Jasmine. "We are
going at first for a couple of nights to a boarding-house for ladies
only. It is called Penelope Mansion, and is in a street off the
Edgware Road--we have a friend, she is only a village girl, but we
call her our friend--her name is Poppy Jenkins, who has just gone to
Penelope Mansion to help her aunt, who is the owner of the
boarding-house. While we are there we will see the sights, for of
course that must be part of our education. We will go to Westminster
Abbey to be solemnized, and we will go to the Tower to perfect our
knowledge of the tragical part of English history, and we must take
Daisy to the Zoo, for she has always longed to see a lot of monkeys
all together. I don't think we'll have any time for looking in at the
shop windows, for we shall be very busy, and very, very earnest, but
these places we must see. I daresay Poppy and her aunt, and some of
the nice ladies in the boarding-house, will go with us. When Poppy has
dusted up and put things straight in the morning, of course she'll
have lots and lots of time. Oh, it does seem such an easy, sensible
plan."

"My poor, poor children!" exclaimed Mrs. Ellsworthy, "my poor,
deluded, silly, obstinate children!" and then the good little woman
burst into tears.

CHAPTER XV.

IN SPITE OF OPPOSITION.

But although Mrs. Ellsworthy wept and lamented, although she tried
both persuasions and scol