"Why, mother, what a lot of rivers," said Olly, running on to a little bridge that had been built across the little stream, and looking over. "Just to begin with," said Mrs. Norton. "You'll see plenty more before you've done. But I can't have you calling this a river, Olly. These baby rivers are called becks in Westmoreland--some of the big ones, too, indeed." On the other side of the little bridge was the gardener's cottage, and in front of the door stood two funny fair-haired little children with their fingers in their mouths, staring at Milly and Olly. One was a little girl who was really about Milly's age, though she looked much younger, and the other was a very shy small boy, with blue eyes and straggling yellow hair, and a face that might have been pretty if you could have seen it properly. But Charlie seemed to have made up his mind that nobody ever should see it properly. However often his mother might wash him, and she was a tidy woman, who liked to see her children look clean and nice, Charlie was always black. His face was black, his hands were black, his pinafore was sure to be covered with black marks ten minutes after he had put it on. Do what you would to him, it was no use, Charlie always looked as if he had just come out of the coal-hole. "Well, Bessie," said Mrs. Norton to the little girl, "is your mother in?" "Naw," said Bessie, without taking her fingers out of her mouth. "Oh, I'm sorry for that. Do you know when she's likely to be in?" "Naw," said Bessie again, beginning to eat her pinafore as well as her fingers. Meanwhile Charlie had been creeping behind Bessie to get out of Olly's way; for Olly, who always wanted to make friends, was trying to shake hands with him, and Charlie was dreadfully afraid that he wanted to kiss him too. "What a pity," said Mrs. Norton, "I wanted to ask her a question. Come away, Olly, and don't tease Charlie if he doesn't want to shake hands. Can you remember, Bessie, to tell your mother that I came to see her?" "Yis," said Bessie. "And can you remember, too, to ask her if she will let you and Charlie come down to tea with Miss Milly and Master Olly, this afternoon, at five o'clock?" "Yis," said Bessie, getting shyer and shyer, and eating up her pinafore faster than ever. "Good-bye, then," said Mrs. Norton. "Good-bye, Bessie," said Milly, softly, taking her hand. Bessie stared at her, but didn't say anything. Olly, having quite failed in shaking hands, was now trying to kiss Charlie; but Charlie wouldn't have it at all, and every time Olly came near, Charlie pushed him away with his little fists. This made Olly rather cross, and he began to try with all his strength to make Charlie kiss him, when suddenly Charlie got away from him, and running to a pile of logs of wood which was lying in the yard he climbed up the logs like a little squirrel, and was soon at the top of the heap, looking down on Olly, who was very much astonished.