You'd ought to help her all you can,
you're getting to be a big girl. I used to do a whole week's baking
before I was your age."
"Aunt Lucretia!"
"What say?"
"Have you--got that--bill--changed yet?"
"No, I haven't. You mustn't tease. I'm going down to the store in a day
or two, and then you can have it."
So Nancy went home again without her forty-two cents. She wept a little
on the way. Here it was Saturday, and Flora expecting her money on the
noon mail. But it did not come on the noon mail. It did not come until
six o'clock at night, and Flora did not think of buying the basket that
day.
After tea that night, about half-past seven o'clock, Nancy did something
that she had never done before in her life. She went over to her Aunt
Lucretia's without permission. Her mother had gone to one of the
neighbor's. Flora was in the sitting-room reading a story-book. Nancy
stole out of the front door, and hurried down the road.
"What are you over here again for, child?" Aunt Lucretia cried when she
went in.
Aunt Lucretia and Henrietta were in the kitchen, sticking papers over
the jelly tumblers.
Nancy hesitated, and blushed.
"What is it?" asked Aunt Lucretia.
"I--didn't know but--what--you might have got--that bill changed."
"Why, I never saw such an acting child! Can't you wait a minute?
Henrietta, have you got any change?"
"Yes, ma'am," said Henrietta.
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