Miss Patten's School 



appointing uncertainty as to what I might 

 or might not do. 



I strolled up and down the narrow mossy 

 paths, with longing eyes for the many fruit- 

 bushes, and occasionally scrambled up the 

 fence to spy into the pig-stye next door. 

 After about half an hour I grew weary of 

 this severe discipline and the midday heat, 

 and re-entered the house. Coming out of 

 the sunlight into the cool, dark parlour I 

 could at first see nothing very plainly, but 

 I could just perceive that the room was 

 empty. I went down the stone passage, 

 ancl seeing a door ajar, tapped, and went 

 into the kitchen. Miss Patten, in a white 

 apron, stood at the table with her arms deep 

 in a pan of dough. 



"Well, little man/' she said, smiling, 

 '' what may you want ? " 



" Please, where's Mother and Mary ? " 

 I asked, and looked all round the little 

 kitchen. 



'' Where's Mother and Mary ? " repeated 

 Miss Patten. '' Oh — why — they've just 

 gone out for a little walk, I expect." 



'' Will they come back soon ? " I asked, 

 tremulously, for I was rather shy of being 

 left alone with the bright little woman. 



" O yes, I daresay," she said. '' T say, 

 I wonder if a little boy called Harry would 

 96 



