The House That Grew

e was crying a little, though that isn't her way at all. Dods didn't think so, for I asked him, when we were by ourselves. She did not speak any way, excep

ow, either! Papa tried to be so cheerful about it; it was almost worse than if he had spoken very sadly. It reminded me of Dods when he was a very little boy and broke his arm, and when

as we were outside and quite out of hearing. 'They always say that it's the worst for

's about as bad as it can be for everybody, and I don't see that

carrying; by that and the gruff tone of his voice, I could tell he was feeling very bad, so

but his real name is George, and m

e in the little planting. They'll be down upon us in another moment, tiresome t

ere thirteen and fourteen. And we have always gone in pairs. Dods and I, and Denzil and Esmé. Besides, of course, the p

s that we had better

ely see there was something the matter, and

e as a hedgehog, and as comfortable as a fat dormouse. He'd never worry as lon

sweet. She's not fat or lazy, and I don't th

never mind anything for long. She'd just settle down for

I must either laugh or cry. But Dods did mix up his-'similes,' I think, is the right

said Geordie, very grumpily again, thou

replied, sadly enough, and t

we go?' he

always nice there, and we can lock ourselves i

name, as you will hear before long. But we did not wait to go on talking, till we got there. The children'

after a bit, 'it's

reed; 'I th

hich I am sure I don't mean. But papa and mamma had always had us a good deal with them and treated us almost like companions, and up to now, though he was getting on for thirteen, Dods had never been away at school, only goi

not explain it all as well as a quite grown-up person would. But I don't think that will matter. This story is just a real account of something rather out of the common, and I am writing it partly as a kind of practice, for I do

was that we had just heard. Po

mselves, which makes a home nicer than anything else. But a good deal of papa's money came from property a long, long way off-somewhere in the West Indies. It had been left to his father by his godmother, and ever since I was quite little I remember hearing p

no doubt, in his time-of thinking of the West Indian money as something

that all our money from there would stop for good. The horrid part of it was, that it all came from somebody's wrongdoing-not from earthquakes or hurricanes or outside troubles of that kind-but from real dishon

to do this it was necessary that he should start as soon as could be managed; and with the great doubt of our ever being at all well off ag

take our house-our own dear Eastercove-for a year, or perhaps more. We had often been asked to let it, for it is so beautifully placed-close to the sea, and yet with lovely woods and grounds all round it, which is

we heard of any offer being made for it. And now the offer that had come was a very good one; it was not only more money than ha

d of all our things,' said papa, 'and kee

d-but do you mean, that we shall be like really poor people?' And here there came a choke in his voice that made me feel as if I could scarcely keep from crying. For I knew what he was thinking of-the idea

rry and went o

anywhere, till I come back again. I look to you to take care of them all-that is why I am explaining more to you and Ida than many people would to such young ones. But I know you are both very sensible for your age. You see, we are sure of the new rent, thank

very quick-witted,-"in case we have to sell Eastercove!" Oh, papa! anything but that! I'll

any more, and tur

, after a moment or two's silence. 'Let us keep

s too,-anything at all nice in the shape of even a tiny house there would be dear, as the neighbourhood was much sought after by visitors in winter as well as in summer. For it was considered so very healthy for delicate people

explanation as to what the 'it' was, th

WALKING

afternoon-was falling on the quaint little place. It was more like two or three huts than one, and indeed it really did consist of three or four rooms, which we children had been allowed to consider our own quarters, and to decorate and improve according to our fancy and taste. To begin with, it had been a bathing-house, of two rooms, partly of stone, partly of wood, standing on a little plateau, just at the

old tubs filled with good soil in front of the porch-for there was a porch-in which flourished some nice, bushy evergreens, and there was even a tiny terrace with long flower-boxes, where, for six months of the year at least, geraniums and fuchsias, and for part of the time, nice, big, white and yellow and straw-coloured daisies seemed quite at home. It was a lo

the flowers for the long boxes. It's getting quite time, for Bush has settled all about the

o say, till I caught the expression of Geordie's mournful blue eyes-he can

, 'what are you thinki

think I quite knew what I was saying,-'forgive me

ost of a good deal of forcing myself-I just left off trying to be brave or self-contro

instant or two, while I was rubbing at my eyes with my handkerchief, and feeling rather, or very ashamed, I felt something come round my ne

e for you. For a man can always go out into the world and

ou're my only comfort. I don't mean that mamma isn't one, of course; but it's our business now to cheer her up. Papa said so ever so

hat it seemed unlikely enough now that papa would ever be able to send him to school at all-I mean, of course, to the big public school, for which

off still,' for it had never been intended that he should go till he was

ell, and I'll do my best to help you. Mightn't you perhaps gain a sch

he other had been unfortunate

ell you what, Ida; I'll ask Mr. Lloyd about it the very first time I

as the vica

er Geordie up, and my tears stopped, and by the time we

some kind of a house at Kirke, however poky. For you would b

rict. And if I mean to work harder than ever before, as I do now, sinc

is cooking, but they are rather messy! And when you've been doing one or the other nearly all day, it's rather disgusting to have to begin washing up greasy dishes, and chemicalised rags and glasses, and pots and pans, and all the rest of it. I don't mean that we ever

tired. So there were all the things about, as if they'd been having a dance in the n

ed at each othe

ame to see the place so bright and sunny

his sentence and didn't need to. I knew what he meant-that quite possibly it