Your luving little
BOBBY.'

Lady Isobel handed this letter to her husband.

'Oh, Mortimer! we must have him here. I simply ache to have him every
time I go up to his nursery.'

'Patience, my lady!' said her husband, laughing as he read Bobby's
quaint production.

'"All things come to him who waits," and a bride of two months'
standing ought not to ache for anyone but her husband!'

Bobby got a long and loving letter back from his new aunt, and he
showed it to his father with great pride.

Lady Isobel's last sentence in her letter was, 'Ask father to tell you
my plan that I talked to you about the day before I was married.'

'What is it, father?' asked Bobby.

I'll tell you this evening,' his father responded. 'True and you and I
will have a confab over it.'

These confabs were a delight to the children. They had many of them on
the hearthrug in the firelight, their father leaning back in his chair
and smoking his pipe whilst he listened and talked.

'A plan is sure to be nice,' said True, 'and Lady Isobel's will be much
better than the ones we make up, Bobby.'

So all that day they puzzled their heads over what it could be. And
when at last the happy moment arrived they sat in rapt anticipation of
their father's disclosure.

'I hope to sail away from England about the middle of May,' Mr. Allonby
said, looking at the children gravely.

Bobby's lower lip began to quiver at once.

'I knewed that drefful day would be coming,' he said; 'but me and
Nobbles tries to forget it.'

'This plan has to do with that day,' his father said cheerfully. 'What
is going to become of you when I go off, do you think?'

'Oh,' said True, 'we've plans for that. Miss Robsart is coming to live
with us, and she and Margot will look after us till you come back.'

Mr. Allonby shook his head.

'No, that won't work,' he said.

'Shall we be sented to school?' asked Bobby in a trembling voice.

'Now, listen! Your Uncle Mortimer and Aunt Isobel have said they will
take care of you and True whilst I am away. Your Aunt wants you back
in the old house, Bobby, and Miss Robsart is to go down there too, and
go on teaching you till you've mastered your Latin declensions, and are
ready for school.'

True clapped her hands delightedly, and a smile broke over Bobby's
serious face.

'And will Miss Robsart's sick sister come too? She always said if she
got into the country she could paint again.'

'I believe the idea is