heard through the wall, who the landlord had feared might disturb
us! They were going on to Italy for the winter.

'"If only I had known last night who they were," I said to mamma
regretfully.

'Mamma, however, was always wise. "Think rather," she said, "how very
glad you should be to know it this morning. And who can tell but what
some time or other you may see the trots again."

'But I never did!'

CHAPTER XIII.

GOOD ENDINGS.

But I lost my happy childhood.

* * *

It slipped from me you shall know,
It was in the dewy alleys
Of the land of long ago.

* * *

Not in sadness,
Nor reproach, these words I say,
God is good, and gives new gladness,
When the old He takes away.

"You never did? oh what a pity!" exclaimed Sybil. "You really never,
never did, mother?"

Auntie looked rather "funny," as the children call it.

"As _trots_ I never saw them again," she said, "and at the time I wrote
out that story I had not seen them again at all."

"But you've seen them since," cried all the three children at once,
"you've seen them since they've grown big. Oh auntie, oh mother, do tell
us."

"I couldn't just now, truly I couldn't," said auntie, "it would lead me
into another story which isn't written yet. All that I know about 'the
two funny little trots' I have told you. Do you like it?"

"Awfully," said Sybil.

"_Very_ much," said Floss.

"It's lovely," said Carrots.

Auntie smiled at the children. They looked so pleased and interested, it
was evident that for the time they had forgotten their sorrow and
anxiety. Suddenly, just as she was thinking sadly how soon it must
return to their minds, there came a loud ring at the bell. They all
started, they had been sitting so quietly.

"It must be the post," said Sybil. Auntie had thought so too, but had
not said it, as it was very unlikely this post would bring any letter
from Captain Desart.

It did however! Fletcher appeared with one in another minute; the thin
large envelope, and the black, rather scrawly writing that Floss and
Carrots knew so well. It would have been no use trying to conceal it
from them, so auntie opened it quietly, though her fingers trembled as
she did so. She read it very quickly, it was not a long letter, and then
she looked up with the tears in her eyes. "Children, dear children," she
said, "it _is_ good news. Your d