t to have had a
letter by now; but none has come and I am afraid something must be the
trouble. He is a good brother and never fails to send me money. I can
ill afford to be without help now when the mortgage is coming due and
I have so many bills to meet. It takes a deal of money to live
nowadays. You boys do not realize that."

"Why, I had no idea you were fussed, Mother, and I'm sure Bob hadn't
either," declared Walter soberly.

"Then I have done better than I thought I had," returned his mother,
with the shadow of a smile. "I wanted to keep it secret if I could."

"But you shouldn't have tried to keep it a secret, Mater dear," Walter
replied. "I'm sure we'd rather know--at least I would."

"But what use is it?"

"Use? Why, all the use in the world, Ma. I shall go ahead and take Mr.
Crowninshield's job for one thing."

"But you said----"

"Shucks! I was only fooling about the dogs, Mother. I shan't really
mind exercising and taking care of them at all. Of course, I won't
deny I'd rather they were Great Danes or police dogs; I'd even prefer
Airedales or Cockers. Still I suppose these little mopsey Pekingese
must have some brains or the Lord would not have made them. No doubt I
shall get used to them in time."

"It is only for the summer vacation anyway, you know," ventured his
mother. "The Crowninshields go back to New York in October."

"I certainly ought to be able to bear up a few months," laughed
Walter, with a ludicrously wry twist of his mouth. "I hate to think
you've been bothered and have been keeping it all to yourself."

"Misery does like company," Mrs. King returned with an unsteady laugh.
"I believe I feel better already for having told you. But you must not
worry, dear. We shall pull through all right, I guess. How I came to
speak of it I don't know. It was only that it seemed such a pity to
toss the Crowninshield offer aside without even considering it. Nobody
knows where it might end. The village people say Mr. Crowninshield is
a very generous man, especially if he takes a fancy to anybody."

"But he may not take a fancy to me."

"He must have done so already to be asking you to help with the dogs."

"Nonsense, Ma! Did you think Mr. Crowninshield picked me out himself?
Why, he's never laid eyes on me. That great privilege is still in
store for him. No, he simply told Jerry Thomas, the caretaker, to find
somebody for the job before the family arrived. He doesn't care a darn
who it is so l