“I must confess that that was our design in part, Aunt Flora,” returned Percy, “and if you can’t do without mother and my sisters we will gladly carry you back with us; indeed be rejoiced to do so whether you feel prepared to spare them or not.”
“That is right, Percy,” said his mother. “I should like nothing better than to carry the whole family—from your uncle Don down to the baby back with me and keep them there for a long visit. What do you say to it, brother?”
“Thank you kindly, Milly,” Mr. Keith returned. “I should like dearly well to accept your invitation, but cannot leave my business just at present, yet am willing to spare wife and children to you for a time, if mother Weston will come and keep house for me while they are gone.”
“She is not here now?” Percy said half enquiringly, and glancing about as if in search of her.
“No; she has been with one of her other daughters for some weeks past,” replied his uncle.
“Well,” said Mrs. Keith, “let us just give ourselves up to the enjoyment of each other’s society for to-night and settle all these questions to-morrow or later. Now, lads, tell us all about the dear ones left behind you.”
“Especially my dear old father and mother,” added her husband.
“We left them and all the others quite well,” replied Stuart Ormsby, “and were sent off with many injunctions to bring Aunt Mildred and the girls back with us; also as many of you as we could prevail upon to come.”
With that the conversation became general, though Ethel and Blanche did little more than listen. Ethel was thinking with some concern that the house would surely be very full now, and wishing she had not delayed her return home. After a little she stole from the room, thinking she would at once make some preparation for departure early the next day; but Mrs. Keith had divined her thoughts, and followed her to her room.
“Ethel, dear,” she said, putting an arm round the young girl’s waist, “yours is such a tell-tale face that I know what you have been thinking of since the arrival of our nephews. But you need not be troubled; there is plenty of room for them and you and your sister also. There is a room in the third story, which can be made very comfortable for the lads—especially compared with their quarters when in camp during the late war—and I want you and Blanche to get well acquainted with them and know what bright, good, promising young fellows they are.”