delights."

Primrose was only too glad to give Poppy all the happiness in her
power, and she and Jasmine arranged that they would take the little
girl out with them on another expedition before they settled down
finally to the great work of their lives.

"We'll spend five shillings," said Primrose, "we must not on any
account spend more, but we will be extravagant, and give poor Poppy a
real treat with one crown piece."

"We had better ask her to come to-morrow," said Daisy; "five shillings
seems a lot of money. Do you think there will be enough over,
Primrose, to buy me a tiny, tiny little doll?"

Primrose kissed Daisy, and said she would try somehow to manage the
doll, and Jasmine was elected to go downstairs and sound Poppy on the
subject of the morrow's treat.

The little maiden had made herself pretty well at home in the Mansion
by this time, and she soon discovered Poppy in what was called the
back scullery. The ladies had all finished their mid-day meal, and
were out. Even Mrs. Flint had sallied forth to a distant market to
secure some cheap provisions, and Poppy had the back scullery to
herself. She was handling the dinner-plates in a rather clumsy manner,
and, after the fashion of a discontented little girl, was sighing over
her work, and not doing it properly.

"Oh, let me help you!" said Jasmine, dancing up to her: "I hate
washing china, or delf, or whatever you call it, after people have
eaten, but I like wiping it if the cloths are clean. Poppy, I have
come to you about a most delicious and important scheme."

"Lor, Miss Jasmine," said Poppy, her fingers trembling violently, and
the large dish which she was washing nearly slipping out of them.
"Lor, miss, you do startle me. I was in the dumps, and you are for all
the world like the sun coming out. Why, deary me, the back scullery
ain't by no means such a bad sort of place when you're in it, Miss
Jasmine."

"It is very damp and gloomy, all the same," answered Jasmine. "I do
hope you will be quick, Poppy, in washing up those uninteresting
dinner-plates. Now, look here, Primrose and Daisy and I have been
making up such a lovely plan. We want to take you out with us
to-morrow; we are going to spend five shillings, quite lots of money,
you know, and we are going to have dinner out, and perhaps tea out;
and we are going a good long way. Can you come with us to-morrow,
Poppy?"

"Hold me," said Poppy, suddenly stretching out her hand, "the scullery
is