ut the
house in the Emmastraat out of your mind...."

Granny van Lowe sat looking before her in dumb amazement; Paul listened
attentively; and Constance and Addie continued to discuss the merits and
demerits of the two houses:

"There's a big cellar in the house near the Woods ... and a nice little
garden, do you remember?... And I think it jolly to be close to the
Woods."

"Yes; but, Addie, it seems to me that, in the Emmastraat ..."

"Do put that house out of your mind, Mamma: it's damp...."

"And the contractor is coming, you say?"

"Yes, at seven o'clock."

Mamma van Lowe could only sit and stare at her daughter and her grandson
by turns. Paul burst into a fresh roar of laughter at the sight of his
mother's face.

"Yes, Mother, these are the times we live in! I never dared take a house
for you; now did I?"

Constance for the first time appeared to realize that Addie must seem a
little queer to her mother:

"Oh, he's always like that!" she said. "He helps us. He's a man. Aren't
you, my man?..."

He now went up to her and kissed her, to please her:

"So you see, I must find Papa before seven o'clock, or he'll be angry,"
he said, keeping to the point.

"Well, shall we go round to the Witte together?" asked Paul.

"Oh, Uncle, that would be awfully good of you!"

"But I can't take you in, old chap!"

"No, Uncle, I'll wait outside, if you'll just look for Papa and tell him
I want to speak to him."

"About a house you've taken for him!"

"No, don't be silly, Uncle."

"Good-bye, Constance; good-bye, Mamma: I'm going with my Nephew Addie
... to the Witte!"

And Paul stood up, choking with laughter, while Addie, afraid of missing
his father, urged him to hurry.

"But, my dear," asked Mrs. van Lowe, "does your boy always take the law
into his own hands like that?"

"Oh, Mamma, he is such a help to us!"

"But what a way to bring him up! That's not a boy of thirteen!"

"He is a very uncommon child. Where should we be if he didn't help us."

"So you think Van der Welcke will take the house near the Woods?"

"I'm sure of it!... And I'm quite sure too that, if Addie hadn't
interfered, in another six months we should still be at the hotel!"

Next day, Van der Welcke, Constance and Addie went to have one more look
at the house near the Woods.

And the house was taken, on a five years' lease.

CHAPTER XIII

While Constance went in and out of the shops, on her numberless errands,
Paul ne