"When you put it that way, I'll have to go," and Joe rose slowly to his feet.
"Of course you want to see Essie before she leaves?"
"Are they goin' to take her right away?"
"Certainly, Joseph. Do you fancy that poor mother could go away without her?"
Joe made no reply, and, linking her arm in his, aunt Dorcas led him in through the shed, but before they had reached the cottage Plums came towards them at an unusually rapid rate of speed, crying, excitedly:
"The dudes have gone, aunt Dorcas. They've gone, and that very same swell carriage is comin' here to-morrow mornin' to take me an' Joe an' you into the city to see the princess."
"Gone?" aunt Dorcas exclaimed, in surprise.
"Yes; I told 'em Joe was kind er grumpy 'cause princess was goin' away, an' the boss said perhaps it would be better if they took a sneak. He left a letter in the front room for you,—wrote it on a card he got out of his pocket."
It was plain to be seen from the expression on aunt Dorcas's face that she was disappointed; but she repressed her own feelings to say to Joe:
"Perhaps it is the best way, dear, for it would have caused you still more sorrow to say good-bye to Essie. Now you will have time to grow accustomed to the loss before you see her again."