"Dear! dear! I shall have to leave behind me quite a fortune in postage-stamps to pay for so many letters. Let me see if I have enough."
And he pulled out his pocket-book, and, taking from it a quantity of stamps, began to count them over; while Belle, after submitting to let Bessie wipe the tears from her eyes, watched him with eager interest, as did the two other little girls.
"There is one for the day after to-morrow," said Mr. Powers. "You will not think it worth while to write to-morrow, I suppose."
"Oh yes! I think they had better begin at once," said Mrs. Bradford, who saw that this writing of letters to her papa was likely to divert Belle's mind from her grief at parting with him.
"Very well," replied Mr. Powers; and he counted out a postage-stamp for each day as far as his stock would go. "Here are only enough for two weeks."
"We shall have to stop and buy some as we go home, Belle."
"And here, Belle," said Bessie, "you may have this box of mine to keep them in. You may have it for your very own to keep all your life."
"And you will write her letters for her; will you, Maggie?" asked Mr. Powers.
"Yes, sir. Mamma lets me have half an hour for writing every day, and I will give it to Belle."
Mrs. Bradford was glad to hear Maggie say this. She had feared that the little girl was too eager and anxious for the composition prize; but this proved that the desire for it had not made her selfish, and that she was willing to lessen her chances of it for the sake of being a help and comfort to her motherless little friend. She did not tell Maggie that she might still "exercise her ideas" during the allowed half-hour, and take some other time for writing Belle's letters. Since the dear child was willing to make the sacrifice, she thought it just as well to let her do so.