lueberries are less; they're always less; they're smaller, you
see," her uncle answered.

"That's no answer at all," said Polly in a disgusted tone. "I won't
play," and she stalked off to join her cousins.

Yet, as the poet Burns says: "The best laid plans of mice and men gang
aft agley," and, after all, things did not turn out exactly as was at
first expected; for when the children had made their rounds to say good
bye to Ellis and Myrtle, Leona, Ora and the rest, and when they were
actually on the boat with Cooney safe in a big basket, Uncle Dick
pulled some letters out of his pocket and began to look them over. "I
found these in our box this morning when I went into the post-office,"
he said. "There's one for you, Ada, and here's one for me from
Arthur." He glanced down the page. "Well, well, well," he exclaimed,
"this settles your hash, Miss Molly."

"What do you mean?" asked Molly, leaving her seat and coming over to
him.

"Why, listen. This is from Mary's father. 'A turn in the business
which brought me over, compels me to remain at least three months
longer, so I am accepting John Perrine's kind offer to keep my little
girl till I am ready to go back home. I am sure the dry climate of
Colorado will complete the good work of the summer and that I shall be
able to take Mary home with her health entirely established.'"

Polly rushed tumultuously at Mary and gave her a hearty squeeze. "I'm
going to have you! I'm going to have you!" she cried. "Won't we have
good times?"

Molly sat with a very grave face looking on. Her uncle smiled down at
her. "Looks as if you were out of it, doesn't it, Mollykins?" he said.

Molly turned a mournful countenance upon him and gave a long sigh. "I
s'pose mother and I will not be going to England at all," she said.

"I' s'pose' not," said her aunt. "In fact I am quite sure of it." She
put down the letter which she was reading. "There is a change of plans
all around, Molly dear, and you're not left out, as you will see. You
know, my dearie, that your mother was taking the opportunity of
visiting England because your father expected to make a business trip
which would keep him away from home all winter, and your parents had
concluded to rent their house to some friends. Now that the house is
actually rented and you are not going to England your mother will go
with your father, and you, Molly, my kitten, will go to Colorado that
you may still have your lessons a