could be the
trots, he was simply satisfied that it _was_ the trots, and forwards he
darted, leaping, barking furiously, wagging his tail, giving every sort
of welcome in dog language, that he could think of.

'"Dip, Dip; see Bessie, here is a doggie like Dip," said one trot.

'"Dip, Dip, pretty Dip," said the other.

'The sound of their voices seemed to bring back my common sense. They
_were_ my own dear trots. "Dip, Dip" would have satisfied me, even if I
had not seen them. The trots never _could_ manage the letter "G!" I flew
forwards, and kneeling down on the ground, little caring how I soiled my
nice new dress, or what the people on the Place thought of me, I
regularly hugged my two pets.

'"Here is Dip's kind lady too," they both said at once, smiling and
happy, but not by any means particularly surprised to see me. I looked
up at Bessie at last, and held out my hand. She shook it heartily.

'"I _am_ pleased to see you again, miss, to be sure; who would have
thought it?" she said. "And they haven't forgot you, haven't Doll and
Dot. They are always speaking of Gip and you, miss."

'"But, Bessie," I began, and then I hesitated. How could I tell her what
I had thought? "How was it you left St. Austin's so suddenly?"--the
trots were not in mourning now, they were prettily dressed in dark blue
sailor serge, as bunchy as ever.

'Bessie thought for a minute.

'"Let me see," she said, "oh yes, I remember! We did leave suddenly. My
mistress's father died, and she was sent for off to Edinburgh, and she
took Doll and me, and left Dot to keep her papa company. Master said
he'd be lost without one of them, and he couldn't get off to Edinburgh
for a fortnight after us. But we'll never try _that_ again, miss. Dot
did nothing but cry for Doll, and Doll for Dot. Dot, so Martha the
housemaid said, was always saying, 'Doll's done to 'Ebben,' till it was
pitiful to hear, and Dot was just as bad in Edinburgh about Doll."

'"But Dot _did_ 'do to 'Ebben," said Doll, who as well as Dot was
listening to what Bessie was saying. "And then Doll 'tummed to 'Ebben
too," said Dot, "and then 'Ebben was nice."

'I kissed the pets again, partly to prevent Bessie seeing the tears in
my eyes. I understood it all now, without asking any more, and Bessie
never knew what it was I _had_ thought.

'Only you can fancy how sorry I was to find the trots were leaving Pau
that very afternoon! They were the children whose dear little voices I
had