the nice
times."

So away they launched again, and Mrs. Whitney was soon enjoying it as
hugely as the children, when a heavy step sounded in the middle of the
room, and a voice spoke in such a tone that everybody skipped.

"Well, I should like to know what all this means! I've been all over the
house, and not a trace of anybody could I find."

"Oh father!" cried Mrs. Whitney. "Van, dear, get up and get grandpapa a
chair."

"No, no!" said the old gentleman, waving him off impatiently. "I'm not
going to stay; I must go and lie down. My head is in a bad condition
to-day; very bad indeed," he added.

"Oh!" said Phronsie, popping up her head and looking at him. "I must get
right down."

"What's the matter, Phronsie?" asked Mrs. Pepper, trying to hold her
back.

"Oh, but I must," said Phronsie, energetically wriggling. "My poor sick
man wants me, he does." And flying out of her mother's arms, she ran up
to Mr. King, and standing on tiptoe, said softly, "I'll rub your head,
grandpa dear, poor sick man; yes I will."

"And you're the best child," cried the old gentleman, catching her
up and marching over to the other side of the room where there was a
lounging chair. "There now, you and I, Phronsie, will stay by ourselves.
Then my head will feel better."

And he sat down and drew her into his arms.

"Does it ache very bad?" said Phronsie, in a soft little voice. Then
reaching up she began to pat and smooth it gently with one little hand,
"Very bad, dear grandpa?"

"It won't," said the old gentleman, "if you only keep on taking care of
it, little Phronsie."

"Then," said the child, perfectly delighted, "I'm going to take all care
of you, grandpa, always!"

"So you shall, so you shall!" cried Mr. King, no less delighted than she
was. "Mrs. Pepper!"

"Sir?" said Mrs. Pepper, trying to answer, which she couldn't do very
well surrounded as she was by the crowd of little chatterers. "Yes, Sir;
excuse me what is it, sir?"

"We've got to come to an understanding about this thing," said the old
gentleman, "and I can't talk much to-day, because my headache won't
allow it."

Here the worried look came into Phronsie's face again, and she began to
try to smooth his head with both little hands.

"And so I must say it all in as few words as possible," he continued.

"What is it, sir?" again asked Mrs. Pepper, wonderingly.

"Well, the fact is, I've got to have somebody who will keep this house.
Now Marian, not a word!