n Upwell, though," said Philippa.

"That's quite different," said Dennis; "Upwell's a town. I don't
suppose Aunt Katharine would let Maisie and me go about alone there as
we do here."

For the rest of Philippa's visit she and Maisie were left a good deal to
each other's society, for Dennis was now entirely occupied with the
building of the jackdaws' house under Tuvvy's advice and direction. One
afternoon the two little girls were sitting together in the play-room,
threading beads on horsehair to make a collar for Darkie.

"What made Dennis want to help Tuvvy?" asked Philippa suddenly. "Was it
after he had carved that stick for him?"

"Why, no; of course not," said Maisie. "Tuvvy did that because he was
so much obliged to Dennis."

"Well, then," repeated Philippa, "why _did_ Dennis take all that trouble
for him?"

"He liked him," said Maisie; "and when you like people, you want to
please them, I suppose."

"I don't think I do," said Philippa slowly; "I want them to please me."

"But that isn't fair," said Maisie. "You ought to please them if they
please you; even Darkie knows that. Aunt Katharine says," she added,
"that you ought to try to help people and be kind to them, whether
they're kind to you or not."

Philippa shrugged her shoulders and seemed to have had enough of that
subject, but although she was silent she thought it over in her mind.
Maisie, meanwhile, was occupied with a very usual matter--the grey
kitten's fate. She was never tired of wondering where it was, who had
found it, or whether it was alive at all, and as she had no news of it,
the subject was likely to last a long time.

"We shall never be able to see now which of the three is the greatest
comfort," she said aloud, "because I don't suppose we shall ever see the
grey kitten again."

"Darkie's the best," said Philippa; "he's so clever, and so handsome
too."

"Don't you like Blanche?" asked Maisie, dropping her work and looking
earnestly at her cousin.

"Sometimes," said Philippa airily, "but she isn't a comfort. Miss
Mervyn says she's a plague, and mother would send her away directly if
she wasn't mine. If she was as nice and well-behaved as Darkie, we
should all love her."

"But," said Maisie, "Darkie is naughty by nature. He really is. We've
had a great deal of trouble to make him obedient and good. He was a
much worse little kitten than Blanche ever was."

"Well," said Philippa, "I'm quite sure no one could have h