"Fritz," said Amy, as the two stood together in the hotel sitting-room, "I have a confession to make."
"Open confession is good for the soul, so out with it at once, fair lady."
"It is simply this: I am really glad that you are here to take charge of things. Even in travelling mamma, you know, hates to attend to practical details. Now of course we have got on very well, barring one or two little things."
"Fires and such." There was a mischievous twinkle in Fritz's eye.
"Oh, well, even that might have been worse; so now, until we reach Halifax, I do wish that you would take charge of everything."
"With pleasure," responded Fritz. "Especially will I see that you do not mislay your keys. But you look tired, Amy. Come, sit down."
Whereupon Amy sank wearily upon a sofa, only too glad that for the present her responsibility was shifted to some one else.
There was a funny side, however, to the zeal displayed by Fritz and Lucian. They insisted, with an emphasis that no one dared oppose, that the girls and Mrs. Redmond should rest quietly while they went out to shop.
"My dear boys," Mrs. Redmond had protested, "there is hardly a thing that we shall really need before we reach Halifax. In the parlor cars we shall be unnoticed and perfectly comfortable, and after we have opened our trunks we can tell what we most require."
"Oh, Mrs. Redmond, there must be some errands for us to do. Can't you trust us?"