Esther's eyes opened wide in astonishment.
"Yes, of course she does. Mama never does anything until she has been advised by everybody."
The big, rolling laugh sounded out suddenly, and Esther longed to run away. She never knew whether she were being laughed at herself, and she did not like that thought.
"May I say you will come soon?" she asked, backing a little way down the hillside.
"Wait a moment, child; I will come with you," answered the big man, turning his fossils out of his pocket, and putting them, with his hammer, inside a hollow tree. "Do you know what this letter says?"
"Oh yes; mama read it to me."
"Ah, of course. The 'little manager' must be consulted first. Well, and what does she say about it?"
"Mama? Oh, I think——"
"No, not mama; the 'little manager' herself. What do you want to do about it?"
Esther summoned up courage to reply sedately,—