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“Iss, they’m good enough now, doctor!” said one woman, in answer to his remark on the babies’ good temper; “but I reckon you’ll soon set ’em laughing the other side of their faces, poor dears.”

Loveday, who had become rather shy when she found herself entering a room so full, stood and looked with interest at the woman who spoke, and presently drew nearer to her:

“Does your baby scream on the other side of his face sometimes?” she asked eagerly.

For a moment Mrs. Rouse looked at her, not quite understanding her.

“Iss, that ’e do, missie,” she said at last, “and pretty often too, when he gets contrairy.”

“I wish you would tell me how he does it,” said Loveday anxiously; “I do want to know.”

But, to her surprise and annoyance, Mrs. Rouse only burst into a peal of laughter. Loveday could not bear to be laughed at at any time, but there, before a whole roomful of strangers, it was really dreadful, she thought. With very red cheeks she turned away and walked straight out of the school-house, and glad she was that she did, for as she left she heard Mrs. Rouse telling the others what she had said; after which they all laughed.