CHAPTER III.

Promotion.

"WELL, children," said Mrs. Weston at breakfast, on the Monday which followed the cliff adventure, "how are you going to amuse yourselves to-day?"

She was very fond of her young charges, and was remarkably easy-going where their liberty was concerned.

"We haven't made up our minds yet," said Teddy, spreading his bread and butter plentifully with marmalade. "Earn some money if we can, very likely, for the mortgage-box."

Mrs. Weston smiled. The matter which at first was intended to be kept as a great secret was now known to about half a dozen people.

"Earning money isn't quite such an easy, matter as you think, my dear," said she; "you are not going to get anything for nothing."

"We don't mind work," said Nora, "if it is in a good cause."

At this they all laughed; for if there was a lazy member of the Bannister family, it was pretty Nora.

Nothing more was said just then upon the subject, for at this moment the post came, bringing with it a long, interesting letter from their father, which was addressed to Eileen.

This she read aloud for the enjoyment of all—a letter from daddy somehow seemed a bit of himself.

After breakfast—it was Teddy's suggestion—the children arranged to spend the day out of doors, and, a basket of goodies being packed for lunch, they prepared to start forth on their way.

"Now, mind you take care of yourselves," said Mrs. Weston, as she bade them good-bye at the garden gate, "and don't be late home for tea."

"We'll take care of ourselves right enough, Mrs. Weston dear," replied Eileen. "Don't you worry."

A few minutes after this, having promised to be home in time for tea, they were lost to sight round a corner of the road.

As they passed down the village street, old Henderson, who was standing at his shop door, caught sight of them.

"Good-morning, young ladies and gentlemen," said he, as they drew near; "I've been wanting to see one or the other of you—Master Frank in particular."

"What was it you wanted to see me about, sergeant?" asked Frank, with quick interest, little dreaming of the honour which was in store for him.

"Just to say this, Master Frank; I'm right proud of you for the part you played in rescuing them youngsters on the cliff, and I should think your brother and sisters are too."

Frank, in telling the story of the cliff adventure at home, had made very little of it, consequently not one in the household realized how truly courageous the little fellow had been.

"It was jolly lucky, he didn't lose his head," said Teddy.

"It was jolly lucky, as you say, Master Teddy, he didn't lose his life" (this severely); "I don't think you quite understand how plucky he was."

Frank, now rosy red, tried to turn the conversation, but Henderson was not so inclined.

"You've got your promotion now, young sir," he went on, looking at Frank, with the kindest pair of eyes; "I shall have your third stripe ready for you to-morrow." And here the old man saluted.

Frank, feeling half an inch taller, did the same. "How awf'ly kind of you," he said, in delight; "I'd rather be sergeant than King of England!"

"Play-actin' again, I do declare!" It was Mrs. Henderson's voice. She had bustled in from the little parlour behind the shop and had overheard part of the conversation. "Well, I never did, 'Enery; you are a silly old man!"

'Enery chuckled with amusement.

"Yes, so I be, and you're a silly old woman! Where are those apples you've been saving up for these youngsters?"

"I've got 'em here, close and handy," replied the good soul, coming forward with a basket, which she had taken up from the shelf near by. "I think, my dears," she went on, turning to the children, "you'll find plenty to go all round."

True enough they did, a goodly store which made a very welcome addition to their luncheon-basket. Shortly after this, with grateful thanks and friendly good-byes, they went on their way.

Right proud was the "sergeant" to receive the congratulations of his brother and sisters. But Eileen and Teddy, realizing from Henderson's words more of the risks he had run, warned him never to do such a thing again.

"Don't suppose it would happen another time," said Frank; "if it did—well, I should do just the same." And he spoke truly.

Ten minutes later they were passing an old house which stood on the outskirts of the village. It was a dreary, neglected looking place, called The Laurels, and the garden was a mass of weeds.

"What a lark it would be," said Teddy, "to go up to the house and ask Mr. Grimwood for a day's gardening!"

Mr. Grimwood, the owner, by the way, was a gentleman who was considerably more feared than loved in the village.

"We could earn some money for the mortgage-box," went on Teddy, as nobody made any reply.

"Why, Teddy, what a splendid ideal!" cried Eileen, suddenly taking his suggestion seriously.

"You never would do such a thing as that!" exclaimed Nora. "He would snap your head off."

"Cheek, I call it," said Frank; "fancy even thinking of such a thing!"

"Cheek or no cheek," said Teddy, "if Eileen is game, we'll do it! You kids can stop outside the gates while we go up and ask."

[Illustration: "HULLO!" HE SAID. "WHAT DO YOU WANT?"]

But Nora and Frank, though they strongly disapproved, had no intention of being left out of anything. Three minutes later the four youngsters presented themselves at the door of The Laurels. Their knock was answered, as it chanced, by Mr. Grimwood himself, who happened to be in the hall.

"Hullo!" he said, in a voice far from encouraging. "What do you want?"

He knew the children very well by sight, but as young people were not in his line, he had never cultivated their acquaintance.

"Please," said Teddy, feeling rather small, "we—we wondered if you would like us to do a day's gardening."

Mr. Grimwood was somewhat taken aback. As a matter of fact, a gardener was just what he was needing. The man he usually employed had left him a few weeks previously, and he had difficulty in finding another.

"What do you mean?" he inquired gruffly, looking from Teddy to the others. "I don't want any of your impudence!"

Then Eileen spoke—Eileen, with her pretty blue eyes, which were her chief beauty, raised half-pleadingly to his face. Few could resist the Bannister children. They were full of faults, it is true, but their winning dispositions gained them friends everywhere.

"Please, Mr. Grimwood," she said, "it isn't meant for impudence. We would love to do a day's gardening if you would let us, and we'd only charge a very little."

"H'm," said Mr. Grimwood, "and that little a good deal more than you're worth."

But he was thinking over the suggestion all the same. After some further conversation, to the delight of Eileen and Teddy, and to the disgust of Nora and Frank, he agreed to employ them; and if they did the work satisfactorily, to pay them two shillings each at four o'clock.