d," said Amos, laughing.

"You may well be so, Master Amos," said the other. "_Me_ speak about
such a thing to them maids in the kitchen, or the coachman, or stable-
boy, or any one else in the universal world! Let the whole on 'em put
together try it on, that's all."

"Thank you, Harry," said Amos; "no one as yet knows about it but my aunt
and yourself. But I shall have to take my brother and sister into my
confidence, as I shall want their help in carrying out my plan."

"All right, sir, all right; and, if any one mentions the poor lady
before me, you may depend upon it I shall look like a deaf and dumb
statty cut out of stone."

Amos then sought his aunt, and, having given her briefly his own views,
asked his brother and sister to join him in Miss Huntingdon's room. He
unfolded to them his purpose, and then proceeded as follows: "What I
propose to do is this: I want to spare our dear father all pain and
trouble in the matter, and, if I am permitted to carry out my plan with
success, to give him a gentle and happy surprise at the end. But I must
have the help of my dear brother and sister. The place where our dear
mother now lives in retirement is a few miles inland from the sea-coast.
At the sea-side nearest to her residence I intend taking a house for a
time. When I have secured this, I shall invite you, dear Julia and
Walter, to be my guests there for a season. I shall easily, I have no
doubt, persuade my father to spare you, on the ground that the little
change to the sea-air will do us all good, which will be perfectly true,
and that this short holiday has been a pet scheme of my own, which will
be equally true. My father will be much occupied about electioneering
business the next two or three months, and as this will take him a good
deal from home, he will not miss us so much as he might otherwise have
done; and Aunt Kate, who knows of my plans and approves of them, will
kindly spare us for a while, and will look after the children, who will
follow us in a few days, and may be of use in carrying out my object."

"Capital," said Walter; "but you will want a mint of money to do all
this."

"Never mind that," replied his brother; "I have considered it all, and
you may safely leave the ways and means to me."

"And I am sure, dear Amos," said his sister, "we shall be only too
thankful to be helpful in any way in bringing back our dear mother
amongst us."

In about three weeks' time from this conver