Ah! they that ask, expecting an answer, from the faithful God, shall receive abundantly.
Her thoughts were broken in upon by Kittie's drawing a pinafore out of the water, and saying--
"My! ain't this dreadfully old, mother? It ain't worth gettin'-up, that it ain't."
"It 'ull have to serve another turn, Kit."
"I was a-thinkin'--" said Kit, hesitating.
"Well, Kittie, what was you a-thinkin'?" answered her mother, kindly.
"Why, there's Cherry Seymour, she earns two shillings a week."
"So she does, but she ain't you, and she's left school."
"But she don't earn that in school-time, mother."
"But I've been thinkin', that if she was to mention me to them servants at the doctor's, who is so kind to her, they might know of some little place or 'nother before breakfast for _me_."
"So they might, Kit; you're a good girl to ha' thought of it."
"I _am_ honest," Kittie went on, meditatively, washing away all the time as she talked, "and you could say as I'm not given to pickin' things, or takin' what ain't mine, now couldn't you, mother?"
Mrs. Blunt laughed a little, at which Kittie blushed crimson.
"Oh, Kit, my dear, I never meant as I couldn't! Bless your heart, I should hope so! But I was laughin' at you havin' thought it all over so grand!"
"Well--but--mother--we would be glad of two shillings more every week, wouldn't we?"
"Of course we should, Kittie." Mrs. Blunt raised herself, and wrung the soap-suds from her arms. "Why, yes, Kit, if you _could_, my dear, we shouldn't know ourselves!"
Kittie looked very pleased; and directly her mother had done with her, she ran up-stairs to ask Cherry to put her into communication with the doctor's servants.
She knocked at Meg's door, but could get no answer, and remembering that they were away, she went up to the top to Mrs. Seymour's rooms.
Here on the landing, swaying about in the air that came in freely from the window, were sheets and clothes drying finely; she bobbed her head under them, and as she did so she heard Cherry's clear voice saying--
"I've a'most done, Miss Hobson; will it do then?"
Kittie gained admittance, and found Cherry starching some things on the centre table.
"My! you do know how to do it fine!" she exclaimed; and then she explained her errand.