Page:Ballinger Price--Fortune of the Indies.djvu/89



HE snowdrop was a nice thing. It was speedily joined by three others, and these took some of Jane's attention next day. The thick, choking, autumn leaves must be pushed back from the small pale stems, and while she was at that business it was quite natural to do a good deal of poking at all the beds, to partly uncover a lot of small green adventurers, jubilant at seeing the sun. Thus it was that Jane was in the garden, very damp as to boots and muddy as to fingers, when the door-bell rang without her hearing it. The aunts were taking naps, so the small servant, as silently as might be, took the matter in her own hands. When a man drove off again, whistling, Jane—also whistling—was still in the garden.

She came in at tea-time, to find her brothers standing in the hall looking at something. 71