"How would you like to ride with me to the granite quarry? I am going to buy underpinning for the house."
"If it isn't too far, I should enjoy it exceedingly."
"The drive there and back would be twenty miles; but you could lie down at the hotel and rest, if you choose, while I am at the quarry."
"I will get ready at once then. Shall we take the children?"
"Yes, if Bertie can leave his cares at Woodlawn."
The gentleman glanced archly at his son as he said this, and Bertie answered, laughing,—
"I think I can trust Tom and Jim till I get back; but I don't understand what underpinnings are."
"You will learn that by and by. Now run and ask Nurse to dress Winnie, for I see Mike has the carriage out."