Taken aback by this unexpected declaration, the girls said nothing, but shifted their feet uneasily, wishing fervently that Polly Haddon would turn the fire of her black eyes on something else. But almost instantly the woman’s mood became softer, and, seeing the girls’ embarrassment, she tried to put them at their ease. “Thank you so much,” she said. “Won’t you sit down? The basket is heavy and you have come a long way.” The girls, not knowing what else to do, sat down on the three spindly chairs awkwardly enough, and Laura and Vi sent distress signals Billie-wards. For Billie was always their spokesman. So Billie, who had been as much abashed as any of them at their rather queer reception, found her tongue with difficulty and asked Mrs. Haddon how Peter was. “He is dreadfully low,” Mrs. Haddon answered softly. Her head drooped wearily and her hands were crossed listlessly in front of her. “The doctor says it is not even an even chance whether he lives or dies.” The girls murmured their very real sympathy, and Billie started to ask another question when the door at the other end of the room opened and the two little girls, Mary and Isabel, entered. At sight of the visitors they looked startled and started to retreat, but their mother called to them. “Come here,” she said, and the children sidled slowly up to her where they stood, their large eyes fixed shyly on the girls. “Don’t you know these young ladies?” asked the mother, putting an arm about each of the poor little thin things caressingly and drawing them up close to her. “They are the ones who brought you home that day that you were naughty and ran away, and they have been very kind to us since.” There was a slight sound from the room beyond where poor little Peter lay so desperately ill, and Mrs. Haddon rose suddenly, leaving the two little girls and the three big girls together. It would have been hard to tell at first who was the most embarrassed. But as no children had ever known to resist Billie for very long, the two little Haddons were soon won over and chatted to the three big girls in careless, innocent child fashion. “We get good things to eat now,” said Isabel, confidentially, speaking of the thing that loomed biggest and most important in her starved little life. “A man comes almost every night with a basket—just like this,” and she eyed the basket which the girls had brought with hungry eyes. “Yes, an’ he’s a funny little man, too,” added Mary, her big eyes round with eagerness. “He has whiskers and he stoops—dreadful.” A glance of understanding passed between the chums. “That description——” Vi began. “Suits Tim Budd——” added Laura. “To a T,” finished Billie. CHAPTER XVI—CHRISTMAS CHEER So Miss Walters was seeing to it that Polly Haddon received food regularly—“almost every night!” Of course Miss Walters had promised to look out for the family, but the girls had hardly expected her to be so generous.