ouldn't add to his collection. But then came the pigeons. They were
brought by another boy, whose folks moved away and he couldn't keep 'em
any more. I didn't so much mind the pigeons, as they stay out in the
barn. But we certainly had a houseful of pets! After a while I got rather
to liking them, and Uncle Toby was very fond of 'em, and taught 'em many
tricks."

"But finally, as you know from the letter he wrote you, he decided to
take a long trip, and perhaps he may never come back, if he finds he
likes it in South America. So he decided to ask you to take charge of his
collection, and I said I'd stay until you arrived, as Uncle Toby had to
leave in a hurry, to catch a ship that was sailing for South America."

"Why did he go there?" asked Mr. Martin.

"I think it was because he heard that monkeys and parrots come from
there," the housekeeper answered. "He seemed to like those animals better
than any others, though Tip and Top, the two dogs, are more valuable,
because they can do circus tricks."

"They certainly are cute," said Mrs. Martin.

"Well, there you have the story of Uncle Toby's pets," said Mrs. Watson,
"though I suppose they'll be the Curlytops' pets now, for Uncle Toby said
he was going to give you his collection."

"Hum! Yes," mused Mr. Martin. "If I had known what the collection was I
don't believe I would have come after it."

Mrs. Watson began putting on her hat, and from a corner of the room she
picked up her valise, which she had already packed.

"Where are you going?" asked Mrs. Martin.

"I am going away," answered the housekeeper. "My plans are all made. I
am going to live with my sister. All she keeps is a cat, and she puts
that outside and winds the clock every night before she goes to bed. I'm
going to her house. I told Uncle Toby I'd stay until the Curlytops came
to take charge of the pets, and, now that you are here, I'll be going."

"But I say! Look here! What are we going to do?" asked Mr. Martin.

"Why, you're to take charge of the collection," said the housekeeper.
"That's what Uncle Toby said in his letter. You are to have the pets!"

"But I don't want them! That is, we can't keep so many!" protested Daddy
Martin. "Two dogs, a cat, a monkey, a parrot, an alligator and some white
rats and mice, to say nothing of the pigeons! And we have a dog and cat
now, and we just got rid of a goat and a pony! Oh, I say, my dear Mrs.
Watson! This is too much!"

"Can't help it!" said the ho