“Please, Mother Dear,” said Martha Mary. “He is nice, and Liza found him. Do you think he might stay for tea?”
“And tell more stories before bedtime,” said Walter.
“And he found Hermit,” said Liza.
Mother Dear whispered something to Father that no one else heard. Then Father said:
“Children, go up to the house and wait for us. We will ask Flip if he will stay this evening.”
The children went rather slowly, for they were anxious to hear what was going to happen. It must have been exciting, for ten minutes later Mother Dear came to the veranda smiling, and Flip’s eyes were all shiny, and Father was in the best of humor.
“Babes,” said Mother Dear, “would you like Flip to stay here?”
“All evening?” asked Edward Lee.
“No. Much longer. As long as he wishes to. Perhaps always.”
You should have heard the children shout. They hugged Mother Dear and hugged Father till his hair was all mussed and danced about Flip until he was all red; but Flip was easily embarrassed. Finally Father said: