own I was alive if I'd let her take care
of such a crowd as ours."

Plums showed plainly that he was displeased by the stand his friend had
taken, and walked in silence down the lane to the road.

"Any decent feller'd do the same's I'm countin' on." Joe said to
himself, as he went slowly towards the cottage. "He wants to stay 'cause
he gets plenty to eat an' no work to speak of, so he won't look at the
thing the way he ought'er."

Arriving near the rear door of the cottage, he saw aunt Dorcas and the
princess playing on the grass with two dolls made of aprons, and the
little woman appeared to be enjoying herself as hugely as did the little
maid.

"I declare, I'm almost ashamed of myself, Joseph, to be seen at such
games; but I couldn't resist your princess's coaxing, and I believe I've
really had a good time. We must find some more Christianlike name for
her than princess. I think she calls herself Essie."

"I thought so, too; but I couldn't make out what kind of a name that
was. Did you call us after you got through with your nap, aunt Dorcas?"

"Certainly I did, Joseph; but I suppose you were too far away to hear
me."

Joe explained how he had spent the afternoon, whereat the little woman
laughed merrily, and invited him to play with them at keeping house.

Not until fully half an hour after her usual time for preparing the
evening meal, did aunt Dorcas cease her share in the childish sport, and
then Joe had his princess all to himself until they were summoned to
supper.

Meanwhile, Master Plummer had returned from his walk, but without having
concluded his fit of the sulks, and he apparently gave no heed to
anything around him until he was called to partake of supper.

On this night aunt Dorcas's prayer was one of thanksgiving rather than
supplication; there was a cheery ring in her voice which the boys had
never heard before, and Joe wondered at it, without once guessing that
the coming of the princess had made the little woman more womanly and
younger.

When the boys were in their room, Joe, who had almost forgotten, since
the moment he joined in the game of "keeping house," that, on the
morrow, he was to leave this pleasant abiding-place, realised even more
keenly than before how hard it would be to carry out the purpose he had
formed; but yet he did not falter for a single moment.

"I'll do it in the mornin', sure, an' I wish I'd told her to-night; then
the hardest part would be over," he said to