Mrs. Van Alstine and Mrs. Overbeck kept house, sewed, and took care of their poorer neighbours for work, and embroidered wonderful and gorgeous camp-chairs for diversion, and all seemed quietly settled for the winter.
But nothing ever is settled in this world. Just after the Christmas holidays, Aunt Eugenia was found dead in her chair. She had been as well as usual. Marion had been with her all the morning, and only left her for half an hour, to find on her return that the old lady was no longer there.
It was a very severe day when she was buried. Henry took cold, and was so much worse that both the doctors advised his removal to a warmer climate with all speed. There was a good deal of talk as to who should go with him, but he was evidently so desirous of having his mother that the matter was so arranged. Mr. Van Alstine was to go as far as New York and see the travellers on the steamer; but when all was settled, Mr. Overbeck put in another proposal. It was a great while since Mr. Van Alstine had taken a holiday; why should not that gentleman do so now, when he could be spared so much better than in summer? So it was decided after another day's consideration, and the travellers departed leaving Mrs. Andrews to keep house, with the help of Aunt Christian and Marion.
"We shall have a dreadful dull time, with father and mother and Harry all gone," said Hector the first evening that the diminished family were collected in the drawing-room.
"It will be perfectly horrid," added Rob, who always echoed Hector.
"It will be neither dreadful nor horrid, my countrymen," said Uncle Duncan; "we are going, on the contrary, to have a very agreeable and entertaining time."
"I should like to know how," said Rob, who was the baby and a good deal inclined to resent his mother's absence as a personal injury to himself.
"Well, in the first place, we are going to put on an extra pound or two of steam in all our lessons."
"Rob is going to learn to spell in words of two syllables," said Frank, in allusion to Robin's orthographical weakness.
"And Frank is going to learn to shut the doors after him," retorted Rob Roy.