They were indeed a long way from home; much farther than they dreamed. It was past four o'clock when they reached the house, and Mrs. March had begun to be a little anxious about them. She was much pleased when she saw the basket of trout.
"Oh, what a nice supper we will have!" she exclaimed.
Rob and Nelly looked at each other and at her.
"Oh, mamma!" Nelly began, but checked herself at once, and looked again at Rob.
"Why, what is the matter, children?" said Mrs. March.
"Nothing. You can have them if you want them," said Rob, rather forlornly.
"Why, child, what else did you get them for?" exclaimed their mother, who had forgotten all about Rob's plan of selling trout.
"To sell," said Rob. "There's as many as four pounds there, I guess: that's most two dollars; but you can have them. I don't care. I'll go get some more to-morrow, if my hand's well."
"Oh!" said Mrs. March, "I had forgotten about it. So you mean to be a little fish-merchant, do you?"
"Yes. Nelly's an egg-merchant, an egg and butter merchant; and I'm going to be a fish and fruit merchant; and we're going to take care of you and papa that way," said Rob, in an excited tone. "And I was going to begin to-morrow; but I can begin next day, just as well: let's have these for supper; they're splendid; we've cooked two already."