"Everybody is quite welcome to know my age," said Miss Fosbrook, the
colour rising in her cheek. "I was nineteen on the last of April;
but I had rather you had asked me point blank, Henry, than tried to
find out in a sidelong way."
Henry looked a little surly; and Elizabeth, a nice-looking girl, who
sat next to him and was nearest in age, said, "Oh! but that would
have been so rude, Miss Fosbrook."
"Rude, but honest," said Miss Fosbrook; and Susan's honest eyes
twinkled, as much as to say, "I like that;" but she said, "I don't
believe Hal meant it."
"I don't care!" said Sam. "Come, Mary, this plate is done--more
bread and butter; d'ye hear? not bread and gammon!" and he began the
chant, in which six voices joined till it became a roar, pursuing
Mary down to the lower regions:-
"Thick butter and thin bread,
Or it shall be thrown at Mary's head;
Thick bread and thin butter,
Is only fit for the ducks in the gutter."
Elizabeth looked appealingly at Miss Fosbrook; but Miss Fosbrook was
leaning back in her chair, her handkerchief up to her mouth, in fits
of laughing, seeing which, the children bawled louder and louder; and
Elizabeth only abstained from stopping her ears because she knew that
was the sure way to be held fast, and have it bellowed into them.
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