shed to the entire
satisfaction of the children.

And after supper Bobby's grandfather played games with them and soon
lost his worry lines, probably on the floor where he was playing horse
or bear. No one picked them up, so it isn't positively known where he
lost them. When Ethelwyn and Beth suddenly bethought themselves that
they were to go with their mother to the Home the next day, to take
Joe's sister there, it was at once decided that Bobby and Nan should go
too, for one beautiful outing before school should begin.

"And we will need it," said Bobby, with a deep sigh over the arduous
educational duties before him.

Then Bobby's grandfather brought out some curious knobby-looking bundles
from his valise, and while the children shut their eyes, he hid the
packages and then turned the children loose to find them. There was a
great outfit of Kate Greenaway writing paper for Ethelwyn; a black
doll-baby apiece for Beth and Nan; and a watch with a leather fob and
jockey cap attachments for his namesake, Bobby. There were also a book
and a game for each one. While they were playing with their gifts, Mrs.
Rayburn and Bobby's grandfather talked apart, and it was a happy talk,
as Ethelwyn and Beth could see when they came up to where they were
sitting.

When at last it was time to say good-night, Ethelwyn and Beth had a
surprise for Bobby's grandfather. It was four silver dollars. "Two of
our dollars are gone to help take Joe's sister to the Home," Beth
explained, "but this is for you on account of your losing the change
money. It's from us all, instead of good-bye presents we were going to
get for Nan and Bobby. They said they'd rather."

Bobby's grandfather hesitated just a little and was about to make a
gesture of refusal, when, seeing their mother shake her head, he kissed
the children's red cheeks and said, with a shake in his voice, "You dear
children, I'll keep these and your letter, as long as I live, so as not
to forget your faith in me."

_CHAPTER XX_
_The Visit to the Home_

On the train we ran through rain,
Then out in sun and blue;
And all the trees bent down and raced,
And all the houses too.

Somehow, that night, after the children were all in bed, and the grown
people were talking over the next day's journey, it seemed to Bobby's
grandfather that he too would like to go along, and he said he could not
for the life of him see why Bobby's mother should not go too, and als