an, "that with your
little family you would have excitements wherever you went. It has
seemed fated to give you one shock after another."

"Only just lately, Jack," was the gentle response, for Mrs. Orban
caught a contrite expression in Eustace's eyes.

"It was the coming of the witch that did it," said Bob. "As soon as
she started for Queensland queer things began happening over here.
She wanted to make you out of conceit with life here, so that she
could more easily bewitch you over to England. That was her spell."

"And the queer thing is," said Mr. Orban quite gravely, "that it
has acted. She is going to take them all away from me when she
goes--wife, and sons, and daughters."

"Father," exclaimed Nesta, "what are you saying?"

"Is it a story, daddy?" demanded Peter.

"No, the solemn truth," said Mr. Orban.

"I don't understand," said Eustace blankly.

"How should you when so much nonsense is being talked?" said his
mother. "But the fact is, father thinks a change of air would do us
all a great deal of good; and as grannie wants us, and has sent us
our passage money--"

"Oh! oh! oh!" cried Nesta, "don't go on, mummie. You make it sound
just as if it were real, and it _will_ be so disappointing to have
to _un_-fancy it again."

But Eustace said breathlessly,--

"Mother, _is_ it true?"

"Quite true," was the grave answer. "We sail the end of next month.
It is all settled."

"What did I say?" said Bob in mock despair. "She'll take you away,
and you'll never come back any more."

"Oh, there you are quite wrong, Bob," said Mrs. Orban. "If Dorothy
is a witch, Jack is a wizard, and he will magic us all back again
in a year and a day at latest."

"Well, I simply can't believe it," said Nesta.

"It's the queerest thing I have ever heard," said Eustace.

But Peter set up such yells of delight he had to be repressed by
the early-to-bed threat--always a useful one when Peter became
rampageous, for he hated going to bed at any time.

That evening no one could talk of anything but this trip to
England. No matter what subject was started, everything harked back
to this wonderful plan, which Mr. Orban had been thinking out for
some time, only confiding in his wife and Miss Chase as long as the
matter was undecided. Bob kept up the appearance of being utterly
woebegone, and Nesta and Peter seemed to have turned into machines
for asking questions.

Of the party only Eustace was silent, and presently Nesta no