“It is not to be spoken of yet. It is a secret.”

“Davie told us,” said Violet.

“Oh, I don’t mean it is to be a secret here! But it is not to be decided till my father comes home. Though I suppose he will let me do as I like.”

“If you are quite sure that you know what you would like.”

“I am quite sure I know what I would like, but I am not to have that, it seems.”

“Is it Davie?” said Violet. “But you don’t mean that you would like him to change his mind and his plans, I hope?”

“It would be selfish, wouldn’t it, and wrong? No, upon the whole I wouldn’t like Davie to be different, or to do differently. But I should like to be more like him.”

“But you are pretty good now, aren’t you,” said Mary. “Davie is very fond of you and mamma and all of us. I suppose you are not quite so good as our Davie.”

They all laughed.

“I will try to be good, indeed I will, Polly,” said Philip.