while_ she was telling Miss Bogle this, came the telegram, showing that
indeed you had gone a walk, and more than a walk,'--here mamma turned
away for a moment, and I _think_ it was to hide a smile that she could
not help. I suppose to grown-up people there was a comical side to the
story,--'together. And then the poor old lady sent for me.'

'And was that all that happened?' I asked.

Mamma shook her head.

'No,' she said. 'While I was still talking to Miss Bogle, came another
telegram, from the little girl's nurse, her present nurse, to say that
her sister was so ill that she could not leave her, and that she was
writing to explain. Poor Miss Bogle! Her cup of troubles did seem full;
I felt very sorry for her, and I promised to go back to see her, first
thing this morning, which I did, before starting to fetch you boys. The
nurse's letter had come, saying she did not know _when_ she could
return. And so--' mamma stopped for a moment--'it all ended--papa came
back last night, so he was with me, and it was his idea first of all--in
a way which I don't think you will be very sorry for,'--and again mamma
smiled,--'in our settling that Margaret is to come home with _us_, and
stay with us till there is time to hear from her grandfather, General
Fothergill, what he wishes. How do you like the idea?'

'I'm awfully glad of it,' I said. And so I was. Not so much for the sake
of having Margaret as a companion, as because it quite took away all
responsibility and fears about her. For I felt sure she would never have
settled down happily or contentedly in Miss Bogle's house.

But as for Peterkin! You never saw anything like his delight. He took
all the credit of it to himself, and was more certain than ever that the
parrot was a fairy, Miss Bogle a witch, and himself a hero who had
rescued a lovely princess. His eyes sparkled like--I don't know what to
compare them to; and his cheeks got so red and fat that I thought they'd
burst.

And when I said quietly--I thought it a good thing to sober him down a
bit, but I really meant it too--that I hoped Blanchie and Elf would like
Margaret, he really looked as if he wanted to knock me down--ungrateful
little donkey, after all I'd done and gone through for him and his
princess! But mamma glanced at me, and I understood that she meant that
it was better to say nothing much to him. He would grow out of his
fancies by degrees. And she just said, quietly too, that she was sure
the little