"Yes, do show us the way out, for we can't have her here," said Briar. "It is absolutely impossible. She'll try to turn us into fine ladies, and she'll talk about the dresses we should have, and she'll want father to get some awful woman to come and live with us. She'll want the whole house to be turned topsy-turvy." "Eh!" said nurse, "I'll tell you what it is. Ladies like Miss Tredgold need their comforts. She won't find much comfort here, I'm thinking. She'll need her food well cooked, and that she won't get at The Dales. She'll need her room pretty and spick-and-span; she won't get much of that sort of thing at The Dales. My dear young ladies, you leave the house as it is, and, mark my words, Miss Tredgold will go in a week's time at the latest." CHAPTER II. A HANDFUL. The girls looked full at nurse while she was talking. A look of contentment came into Verena's face. She shook herself to make sure she was all there; she pinched herself to be certain that she was not dreaming; then she settled down comfortably. "There never was anybody like you, nursey," she said. "You always see the common-sense, possible side of things." "Eh!" said nurse. "If I hadn't seen the common-sense, possible side of things many years ago, where would I be with the handling and bringing up of you ten young ladies? For, though I say it that shouldn't, there ain't nicer or bonnier or straighter children in the whole Forest; no, nor better-looking either, with cleaner souls inside of them; but for all that, anybody else"--and here nurse gave a little sort of wink that set Pauline screaming--"anybody else would say that you were a handful. You are a handful, too, to most people. But what I say now is this. You needn't take any notice of me; you can keep your own counsel and say nothing; but if you want her to go--the lady that has no call to be here--the lady that's forced herself where she ain't wanted--why, you have _got_ to be handfuls. And now I'll go into the house with my two precious lambs." The elder "precious lamb" looked very cross at being suddenly informed that she was to go indoors while the sun shone so brightly and the summer warmth surrounded her. "No, I won't," said Penelope. "I am going to stay out with the others. I'm a very big girl; I am not a baby any longer. And you aren't to keep me in the nursery any longer, Verena. And I won't be naughty. I'll make up to Aunt Sophia like anything--that I will--if you keep me in the nursery any longer." This was such a daring threat that, although Penelope was not thought much of as a rule, the girls looked at her now with a sort of awe. "She might as well stay for a quarter of an hour longer, mightn't she, nursey?" said Briar. "No, that she ain't to do, Miss Rose. She comes right indoors and prepares for her bed like a good child. Is it me that's to be shortened of my hours of rest by a naughty little thing like this? Come along this minute, miss, and none of your nonsense."