Pretty little Dolly had a wheedlesome voice, and a winning smile, and Miss Rachel found it difficult to speak sternly, when the big, dark eyes looked into her face so lovingly.
“Yes, I’m sure you want to be good, my dears, and also, we want to do the right thing by you. So we’ll learn each other’s ways, and I’m sure we’ll get along beautifully.”
Miss Rachel was not used to children, and she talked to them as if they were as grown-up as herself, but Dick and Dolly understood, and sat patiently while she talked, though, in truth, they were impatient to get away, and run outdoors again.
“I shall send you to school,” went on Miss Rachel, “but not for a week or two yet. I want to learn you myself a little better first.”
“Yes’m,” said Dolly, who was equally well pleased to go to school or to stay at home. But Dick wanted to go.
“Let us go pretty soon, won’t you, Auntie?” he said; “for I want to get acquainted with the Heatherton fellows.”
“Boys, Dick,” corrected Aunt Abbie, who was beginning to think the twins rather careless of their diction.
“Yes’m, I mean boys. Are there any who live near here?”
Miss Rachel pursed her lips together.
“The Middletons live in the place next to this,” she began, and Dolly broke in: