shall be school-ma'am, and leave my
house-keeping in better hands than mine. I always thought that mothers
should teach their girls during these years, and vary their studies to
suit the growing creatures as only mothers can.

"That will be splendid! Will Molly's father let her come?" cried Jill,
feeling quite reconciled to staying at home, if her friend was to be
with her.

"He likes the plan very much, for Molly is growing fast, and needs a
sort of care that Miss Dawes cannot give her. I am not a hard mistress,
and I hope you will find my school a pleasant one."

"I know I shall; and I'm not disappointed, because I was pretty sure I
couldn't go to the old school again, when I heard the doctor say I must
be very careful for a long time. I thought he meant months; but if it
must be years, I can bear it, for I've been happy this last one though
I was sick," said Jill, glad to show that it had not been wasted time by
being cheerful and patient now.

"That's my good girl!" and Mrs. Minot stroked the curly black head as if
it was her own little daughter's. "You have done so well, I want you to
go on improving, for care now will save you pain and disappointment by
and by. You all have got a capital start during these six weeks, so it
is a good time to begin my experiment. If it does not work well, we will
go back to school and college next spring."

"Hurrah for Mamma and the long vacation!" cried Jack, catching up two
big books and whirling them round like clubs, as if to get his muscles
in order at once.

"Now I shall have time to go to the Gymnasium and straighten out my
back," said Frank, who was growing so tall he needed more breadth to
make his height symmetrical.

"And to ride horseback. I am going to hire old Jane and get out the
little phaeton, so we can all enjoy the fine weather while it lasts.
Molly and I can drive Jill, and you can take turns in the saddle when
you are tired of ball and boating. Exercise of all sorts is one of the
lessons we are to learn," said Mrs. Minot, suggesting all the pleasant
things she could to sweeten the pill for her pupils, two of whom did
love their books, not being old enough to know that even an excellent
thing may be overdone.

"Won't that be gay? I'll get down the saddle to-day, so we can begin
right off. Lem rides, and we can go together. Hope old Jane will like it
as well as I shall," said Jack, who had found a new friend in a pleasant
lad lately come to town.

"Yo