ed toward the house. She wanted to get her bag, and to say
good-by to Ollie's mamma.

The two children were talking so busily as they went along that they
did not notice a horse and wagon standing at the gate of Mr. Rogers's
house, until they were close upon it.

"Why, Ollie!" exclaimed Lucy; "there is our horse; papa must have come
for me. I wonder if we have kept him waiting!"

The children hurried in, and were soon in the sitting-room, where, to
their surprise, they found Mr. and Mrs. Coit, talking very busily.

"Oh, mamma!" said Lucy, running forward to get a good-morning kiss,
"have you come for me? It was too bad to keep you waiting; I will be
ready in one minute."

"I have not come to take you away," said Mrs. Coit, "but to beg Mrs.
Rogers to keep you a little longer."

"Ah, Miss Lucy," said Ollie, laughing, "you see they have found it so
pleasant to be without you that they are going to give you to us."

Lucy looked from one to another in surprise. "What do you mean, mamma?"
she asked; "am I to stay here? what for? how long?"

"I will tell you," said her mother. "Just after Mr. Rogers left our
house with your bag, last night, your father brought a letter from the
post-office from your Aunt Mary. She is going to move out West, and
wants us to go on and make her a visit before she leaves. We are going
to take Willie, for I think a change of air would do him good, after his
illness; but your aunt's house is so small, I do not think it is best
for you to go. As Mrs. Rogers has consented to keep you, I think you had
better stay here."

"Oh, good, good, good!" exclaimed Ollie, clapping her hands and jumping
around the room for joy. "Now you will have to stay, and be my sister
for a good long week."

Lucy hardly knew whether to be glad or sorry. She was delighted to stay
with her friend, but the thought of being so long away from her mamma
made her feel almost homesick.

"I will write you a letter every day," said Mrs. Coit, seeing the cloud
on her little girl's face.

But the cloud only stayed a minute. "After all," she thought, "mamma
will only be gone for a week, and I would much rather be here with
Ollie than at Aunt Mary's, where there is no one of my own age; and a
letter every day! oh, that will be _too_ delightful!"

"Well, I must go," said Mrs. Coit. "Thank you very much, Mrs. Rogers,
for taking Lucy; I hope she will be a good child, and not give you any
trouble. Good-by."

"Martha will send