"It need be no expense to you," said Elsie.
"Very well then, you can engage her and fix the terms to suit yourself."
"Thank you; I shall enjoy their pleasure in hearing that they have so many pupils already secured."
Elsie's benevolent kindness did not stop here; she called on a number of families in the vicinity, and succeeded in obtaining almost as many pupils for the girls as they could well attend to.
Then another difficulty arose:—the distances were too great for the young ladies to traverse on foot, and they had no means of conveyance.
But this was obviated for the present by giving them the use of Prince and Princess, either with or without the phaeton, during the hours of the day that such help was needed.
The ponies were sent over to the cottage every morning, after the children had had their ride, by an Ion servant, who returned for them in the afternoon.
Mrs. Leland heard of her friend's efforts, and going over to Ion, asked,
"Why did you not call on me? my children need instruction."
"I hardly liked to ask it of you."
"And I feel a delicacy about proposing the thing to the Fosters, but—I would be very glad to help them; and if you can learn that they would not mind coming to Fairview for the sake of several more scholars, I authorize you to make the engagement for me."