el thought joyfully, and she drew back reverently, not liking
to disturb him. But she could not help hearing the last words:

'I will promise to be a very good boy, and if I may not go back to
Biddy I would like to go up the ladder to-day, but I should like Biddy
best.'

He rose to his feet the next minute and turning his head caught sight
of Angel. A half-pleased, half-startled look came over his face.

'Good morning, Godfrey dear,' said his young aunt, coming forward.

The boy put his hands behind him and looked straight at her with his
wide grey eyes.

'Good morning,' he said; 'you've come down the ladder for me, I
suppose. I like Biddy best, but it can't be helped. Where is the
ladder? Are you to go first or am I?'

'What ladder, dear?' said Angelica, dreadfully puzzled.

'What a stupid angel you are!' said the little boy impatiently; 'the
ladder you and the others go up and down to Heaven on, of course, like
the picture in Biddy's Bible; the ladder you took my papa and mamma up,
and Biddy's father, and Corporal O'Roone, and all the others you angels
take care of.'

'He must mean Jacob's ladder,' thought Angel. 'I didn't come down that
ladder, Godfrey dear,' she said.

Godfrey shook his head.

'I didn't know angels told stories,' he said reproachfully; 'you know
you are one, I heard that other call you it.'

'It is only short for my long name,' explained the girl; 'my name is
Angelica, Godfrey,--your aunt Angelica, your aunt Angel.'

'I never heard they were aunts,' said Godfrey doubtfully; 'Biddy said
just angels.'

'Who is Biddy?' asked Angel, to escape from the difficulty.

'She takes care of me and sometimes of my papa,' said Godfrey readily.
'She takes care of everybody that you angels aren't taking care of.
She took care of her father till the angels did it instead, and then
she went to church and promised to take care of Corporal O'Roone till
the angels got him too. I would rather go back to Biddy, but if I
can't I suppose I must go up the ladder with you to my papa.'

It was a queer sort of muddle altogether, and Angel hardly knew whether
she felt more like laughing or crying over it. She sat down in the
window and drew Godfrey towards her.

'Dear,' she said, 'you have made a mistake. I am not that sort of
angel. I hope they take care of you and me and all of us here on
earth, as well as where your papa is. But I don't want you to go away.
I want you to stay here and be happy w