unity and unanimity of this family was well illustrated by
the fact, that Bob began to read the letter aloud without asking leave
and without apology.

"Dearest Bob," it ran, "you will get this letter only a mail before our
arrival. I had not meant to write again, but cannot resist doing so, to
give you the earliest news about it. Sir Richard has changed his mind!
You know, in my last, I told you he had helped to assist several poor
families from this quarter--as well as mother and me, and Matty. He is
a real friend to the poor, for he doesn't merely fling coppers and old
clothes at them, but takes trouble to find out about them, and helps
them in the way that seems best for each. It's all owing to that sweet
Miss Di, who comes so much about here that she's almost as well-known as
Giles Scott the policeman, or our missionary. By the way, Giles has
been made an Inspector lately, and has got no end of medals and a silver
watch, and other testimonials, for bravery in saving people from fires,
and canals, and cart wheels, and--he's a wonderful man is Giles, and
they say his son is to be taken into the force as soon as he's old
enough. He's big enough and sensible enough already, and looks twice
his age. After all, if he can knock people down, and take people up,
and keep order, what does it matter how young he is?

"But I'm wandering, I always do wander, Bob, when I write to you! Well,
as I was saying, Sir Richard has changed his mind and has resolved to
emigrate himself, with Miss Di and a whole lot of friends and
work-people. He wants, as he says, to establish a colony of like-minded
people, and so you may be sure that all who have fixed to go with him
are followers of the Lord Jesus--and not ashamed to say so. As I had
already taken our passages in the _Amazon_ steamer--"

"The _Amazon_!" interrupted Mr Merryboy, with a shout, "why, that
steamer has arrived already!"

"So it has," said Bob, becoming excited; "their letter must have been
delayed, and they must have come by the same steamer that brought it;
why, they'll be here immediately!"

"Perhaps to-night!" exclaimed Mrs Merryboy.

"Oh! _how_ nice!" murmured Martha, her great brown eyes glittering with
joy at the near prospect of seeing that Hetty about whom she had heard
so much.

"Impossible!" said Tim Lumpy, coming down on them all with his
wet-blanket of common-sense. "They would never come on without dropping
us a line from Quebec, or Montreal,