"Oh!  I'm  so  glad  you  are  come.  Poor  Katie  is  so  bothered,
and  I  can't  help  her.     Do  look  at  the  bill ;  is  it  all  right  ?  "

"  Shall  I,  Katie  ?  "

"  Yes,  please  do.  I  don't  see  anything  to  object  to,  except,
perhaps,  the  things  I  have  marked.  Do  you  think  wc  ought
to  be  charged  half  a  crown  a  day  for  the  kitchen  fire  ?  "

"  Fire  in  June  !  and  yoa  have  never  dined  at  home  once  ?  "

"  No,  but  we  have  had  tea  several  times."

"  It  is  a  regular  swindle,"  said  Tom,  taking  the  bill  and
glancing  at  it.  "  Here,  Hardy,  come  and  help  me  cut  down  this
precious  total."

They  sat  down  to  the  bill,  the  ladies  willingly  giving  place.
Mary  tripped  off  to  the  glass  to  tie  her  bonnet.
"Now  that  is  all  right!"  she  said,  merrily;  "why  can't
one  go  on  without  bills  or  horrid  money  ?  "

"Ah  !  why  can't  one?"  said  Tom,"  that  would  suit  most  of
our  complaints.     But  where's  uncle  !  has  he  seen  the  bill  ?  "

"  No  ;  papa  is  in  his  room  ;  he  must  not  be  worried,  or  the
journey  will  be  too  much  for  him."

Here  the  ladies' -maid  arrived,  with  a  message  that  her
father  wished  to  see  Miss  Winter.
