and I'll be ready to go on Saturday."

"An' I'll just be praying to the saints to send you back safe and
sound. I don't see why people should be kitin' off to strange places,
when they've a good, comfortable house to stay in. But the saints be
praised for the rest with that imp of a Jack being away! They do be
grown up after awhile an' I s'pose you couldn't have men if there were
no boy babies."

Then Mr. Borden called late one afternoon and brought a note from his
wife. Ellen had to leave on Saturday or lose the nice place, and the
babies were well now, walking all round and beginning to say cunning
words. Pansy called "Illa, Illa," and then looked around for Marilla
to come, and said--"Papa bing Illa." They wanted her so much. All
their meals were taken over in the next cottage, and the laundress
came twice a week for the washings. The children were out of doors
most of the time, and they were on the ground floor, so there was no
going up and down stairs. Marilla would have it very easy and they
would take the best of care of her.

Mr. Borden was both kind and gentlemanly. He hoped there would be some
way in which they could repay Miss Armitage for all her care. Would
she accept a contribution for the Babies' Hospital, he had heard she
was interested in, or any other charity?

It was very nice of him, Miss Armitage thought, and she chose the
hospital. Marilla had been out walking with Jane and when she came in
Mr. Borden was so cordial that it won the child's heart, and she was
the more willing to go because she should lose her dear Miss Armitage
for a month.

"And afterward, you must come and see me and we will have nice times
together, and I may teach you a little music--you learn so easily. Oh,
I count on seeing a good deal of you."

The parting was not as bitter as Miss Armitage had feared, partly
because Mr. Borden was there and in such good spirits, and Marilla was
thinking that the month would soon pass and that in any event she
could not see her dear fairy godmother in that time.

The journey interested her very much. She had never taken so long a
ride in the cars. Mr. Borden bought her a box of marshmallows and he
had some illustrated papers. And there at the station was Miss
Florence who gave her a cordial welcome, and the big surrey drove them
and three other passengers to their destination. Mrs. Borden ran down
the path to meet them.

"I've been on pins and needles lest something should happen,"