o-morrow?"

"Indeed, I must. I should have gone weeks ago," Tom replied, "but I
couldn't leave those two youngsters. Tell you what it is, Auntie Mogs,
it isn't every man that finds two such sisters. I wish you were all
going back with me," he added wistfully.

"Dear Tom, the summer isn't very far away." Miss Carter patted his
shoulder affectionately.

"Then you'll really come?"

"Of course we will. The girls are making plans already. The only
thing that worries me is that Mrs. Page may want Janet with her this
summer."

"Oh, I fixed all that," Tom assured her. "Grandmother knows you are
coming to me, but I think she expects you all at Old Chester for
Christmas."

"Oh, that would be delightful," Miss Carter said warmly. "A change
would do the girls so much good. It's just the time when school gets a
little monotonous and then, too, if Janet has a visit to look forward
to it may keep her from growing homesick."

"Homesick! Why you haven't seen any symptoms of that, have you?" Tom
demanded, sitting up straight and looking at his aunt.

Miss Carter laughed at his concern.

"Nothing very alarming," she said, "but I don't think she quite
understands school yet. She doesn't seem to want to talk about it, for
one thing."

"But Phyllis says the girls all like her?"

"I am sure they do, but perhaps she doesn't realize it quite yet.
Girls are very strange sometimes, Tom, but I can see Phyllis is
worried."

Tom had only time to nod, for the girls came back with their hats and
coats on and the subject had to be dropped.

"It's a glorious day," Phyllis enthused as they entered the park and
headed toward the zoo. "I wonder if Akbar will remember me."

"Oh, undoubtedly," Tom teased. "Lions are noted for their wonderful
memories."

"Have you known him long?" Janet inquired mischievously.

"I have. Akbar and I have been friends for over two years, and you can
laugh if you want to but he does know me," Phyllis retorted.

And indeed it almost seemed as though he did. They entered the lion
house to find a number of people around the cage, for Akbar was a
mighty beast, and people were apt to linger, fascinated, before him.

This morning he was lying with his huge paws over his nose, the picture
of disgust.

"Oh, my beauty, isn't he a love?" Phyllis demanded, forgetting that her
voice carried far in its eagerness.

The people around the cage laughed and turned to look at her, but only
Tom and Janet f