this summer, Mrs Inglis,
if you say so, you can have the house as well as not. It won't cost you
a cent, and it won't be a cent's loss to me. And I don't see why that
won't suit pretty well all round."

A chorus of "ohs," and "ahs," and "dear mammas," went round the table.

"It wouldn't cost more than living here," said David.

"Not so much," said Miss Bethia.

"And I am sure Mr Oswald would be delighted to have Charlotte and Sarah
go, mamma," said Violet.

"He would pay you the same as he'd pay to them at the other place, and
he might be sure he would get the worth of his money," said Miss Bethia.

"And I would keep house, and save you the trouble, mamma," said Violet.

"You and Debby Stone," said Miss Bethia, who seemed to consider that it
was as much her affair as theirs, and so put in her word between the
others.

"Davie, you'll have to lend me your fishing rod, to take to Gourlay with
me," said Ned.

"Bless the child! there's fishing rods enough," said Miss Bethia.

"It's mamma's turn to speak now," said Jessie. And "yes, mamma!" and
"oh! dear mamma!" were repeated again, eagerly.

There would be no use in telling all that Mrs Inglis said, or all that
Miss Bethia and the rest said. It was not quite decided that night that
they were to pass a part of the summer in Gourlay, but it looked so much
like it that Violet held a little private jubilation with little Polly,
as she undressed her for bed, before she went away, promising her, with
many kisses and sweet words, that she would be rosy and strong, and as
brown as a berry before she should see the bridge house again. Before
she was done with it, Jem called out.

"It is time to be going, Letty, if I am to be responsible for you at the
big house."

"Perhaps if you wait, Mr Philip will come for you. He said he would,"
said Jessie.

"And, just at the minute, he meant it, but we won't put him to the
trouble, even if he remembers, which is doubtful," said Violet. "Come,
Jem, I am ready."

"He seems a pretty likely young man, don't he?--young Mr Oswald, I
mean," said Miss Bethia.

The question was not addressed to any one in particular. Jem looked at
Letty, and Letty looked at Davie, and they all laughed merrily.
"Likely," in Miss Bethia's vocabulary, meant well-intentioned,
agreeable, promising, all in a moderate degree, and the description fell
so far short of Mr Philip's idea of himself and his merits, and indeed
of their idea of him that t