“Of course you would not; neither should I:  but the secret of the whole matter turns, according to Mr. Selincourt, on first of all having a fortune to put into the ground before we can get out the one that is there waiting for us,” laughed Katherine.

“Very well, we’ll stick at the store until we have made our pile, then we can do as we like about throwing it away in order to get another.  Meanwhile we will keep the land, while Mr. Selincourt amuses himself by digging holes and flinging away money on the other side of the river,” said Miles, getting up from his chair and yawning widely.

“Hear, hear!” echoed Phil, clapping his hands.

“Nellie, dear, it is the majority that decides, and you have lost,” Katherine said, as she hustled the boys off to bed, and prepared to retire herself.

“For my own part, as I said before, I’m not sorry to lose, and I do feel as you do, that we have no right to dispose of Father’s property,” Mrs. Burton said.  Then she went on, her voice shaken by real feeling:  “But, Katherine, the life you have to lead just about breaks my heart.  You are the brightest and cleverest of us all, and should have the best chance, instead of which you just have no chance at all.  Take to-day, for instance; we have all been out enjoying ourselves, whilst you have been grubbing at home at work.”

“It had to be either Miles or me,” Katherine reminded her gently; “and think how he enjoyed it.  There are so many pleasures which come my way that would not interest him at all, and that makes me so thankful for a chance of giving him a treat like that of to-day.”

“I don’t mind going out with Miles, because his manners are decent, and he is so quiet,” said Mrs. Burton, “but I did not know where to put my head for very shame when Phil threw that pail of water on to Nick Jones.”

“It was very foolish and silly, of course, and I expect Phil will have to pay pretty dearly for his mischief.  If only Nick will pay him back in a manly fashion, without being cruel, I shan’t care.  Boys learn wisdom quicker through having to bear the consequences of their own actions, and it does not do for them to be too much shielded.  Did you have a pleasant time?”

“Yes; it was lovely.  The captain and the officers were so polite and nice, and the tea was very prettily done.  Mary was there, of course, and Mr. Ferrars.  I heard a good bit of talk about them too,” Mrs. Burton said, with a happy little wag of her head.  Her own hope and joy in life having become so much a thing of the past, made her much more interested in the concerns of others.

“What sort of talk?” asked Katherine.  Of course she knew very well what the answer would be, and that it would make her heart ache worse than ever; but the situation had got to be faced, so the sooner she became hardened to the pain the better for her peace of mind.