a and another--back with me for a week, it might
brighten the kiddy up. Could you spare them, Mrs. Orban?"

"With pleasure," began Mrs. Orban readily, when Nesta started a
sort of war-dance with accompanying cries of delight.

"When you have quite done!" said Bob, with a solemn stare that
quelled the disturbance after a moment. "I shan't have an ear to
hear with by the time I get home, at this rate. Well, who is the
other one to be? You, Eustace?"

Eustace coloured deeply. There was nothing he would have liked
better. To go to the Highlands, as the Cochranes' plantation was
called, was the greatest pleasure that could have been offered
him--the treat had only come his way about twice in his life. It
meant so much--rides with Bob, shooting with Bob, long rambles
always with his hero.

"I should like to awfully," he said, and stopped, looking
beseechingly at his father.

"Why, what's the matter, old chap?" asked Bob in a kindly voice.
"You're as limp as if all the starch had been boiled out of you.
Come along if you want to, of course. Peter can come another time,
if it's afraid of being selfish that you are."

"But it isn't that," Eustace said with difficulty. "I mean I can't.
You see, father is going away, and I couldn't leave mother."

Bob darted a quick look at Mr. Orban.

"Are you really going away?" he asked--"any distance, I mean?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Mr. Orban said gravely. "I have to be away
about a fortnight or three weeks. I go the day after to-morrow."

Bob looked serious.

"Oh, I say," he said, "I'm sorry."

To Nesta, standing there in the sunshine, with a great big pleasure
ahead of her, the words conveyed nothing beyond a civil sympathy
with the annoyance it must be to Mr. Orban to have to go away on
business. To Eustace, who must stay behind, there was something
underlying those few words that brought back all the fears of the
day before.

"It is a nuisance, but it can't be helped," Mr. Orban said;
"business won't wait."

"I am sorry," repeated Bob, with that same strange solemnity,
"because I can't offer to come and stay here while you are away.
Father is going away too, and of course I couldn't leave the mater
and Trix. If only it hadn't happened just now--"

"It is very good of you to think of it, Bob," said Mrs. Orban, "but
of course we shall be perfectly safe. I think I would rather you
took Peter, though," she added in a lower tone. "Eustace is more
companionable. I can spare