replied Mrs. Desart.

Floss and Carrots stared with astonishment. "Going away from home,"
Floss repeated, utterly unable to say more. Carrots could say nothing at
all, he could _only_ stare.

"Yes," continued Mrs. Desart, "I had meant to tell you about it before,
but I have kept putting it off--" she stopped and seemed to hesitate.

"Why, mamma?" said Floss again. "Don't you like us to go? Are you coming
with us, mamma?"

"Are we going to auntie's?" said Carrots.

His asking this seemed to please his mother.

"You would like to go to auntie's, wouldn't you, Carrots?" she said.

Carrots stroked his mother's shawl up and down two or three times before
he answered.

"I'd like to go if you would come too," he said at last, "but I think I
would rather stay at home, thank you, if you can't come."

Mrs. Desart's eyes filled with tears. "Poor little Carrots!" she said,
softly smoothing his curls with her hand. "But if it would please me for
Floss and you to go without me?" she said.

"I'll go if you want me to go, mamma," said Carrots.

"I must explain a little," said Mrs. Desart, and then she went on to
tell the children how it was. The doctor had said she must not risk
another winter at Sandyshore, and it had been arranged for her to go to
a warmer climate. Cecil and Louise were to go with her; Captain Desart
would be with them as much as he possibly could, and Maurice was to live
at school. And what concerned the two little ones almost more than
anything, _nurse_ was to go too! "I must have some one kind and sensible
with me, in case, in case--" and again Mrs. Desart hesitated.

"In case you were very tired with travelling, or if you were to get a
bad cold again; somebody who could make nice white wine whey and things
like that," said Floss, who was of a practical turn of mind, "oh yes,
mamma, I quite understand."

"Though nurse is getting old, she has been so much accustomed to
travelling, too," said Mrs. Desart, "and we are going a long way--to
Algeria; Floss, do you know where that is?"

"Over the sea!" said Floss, "I wish we might come too, mamma, Carrots
and I," she exclaimed. "You will be _so_ far away."

"But you will be with auntie, and you know how kind auntie is," said
her mother, forcing herself to speak cheerfully. "And it is such a
pretty place where auntie lives."

"Is the sea there?" said Carrots.

"No, but the hills are," answered Mrs. Desart with a smile. "I am quite
sure you will like