"Well now: I have a proposal to make. I am taking a house at the seaside--a very nice country house for the holidays; and I want to know if all the school-mothers can come and stay with Ralph and me in my house. You are all invited. Will you come? There will be the pony for the _special_ school-mother--for you, Robina. The pony which will be your property, and which you can ride as much as you like, and as long as you like, and lend to your companions when you wish to be good-natured, will be with you. And there will be donkeys--excellent donkeys for the rest of you, and also bicycles, and also a waggonette, and a governess cart; so I think there will be no difficulty in your getting about; and I can promise you beforehand that I am a first-rate person for managing picnics; and that my cook-housekeeper, Mrs Joseph, is famous for her cakes, pies, and puddings; and that my other housekeeper, Mrs Scott, will see to your wardrobes and look after your other comforts. But I wish to warn you beforehand, that there will be no lady in the house. There will be no grown-up lady-woman in my house, so you children will have to look out for storms; for I can be, when I like, a _very_ fierce man, and if there are really naughty children, I can make it unpleasant for them. There, my dear little girls, I am only joking--" "Father's awful at his jokes," interrupted Ralph at that moment. "You _is_ silly, father; you know that you is never cross." "Perhaps," said Mr Durrant, "you had better, girls, take Ralph's estimate of my character. Anyhow, come those of you who wish to try me, and stay away, those of you who are afraid. The house will be ready to receive you in a fortnight from now. During that time, Ralph and I will enjoy ourselves together. This day fortnight, we shall both be prepared to welcome you at Sunshine Lodge. I am calling the house by that name in advance, for I mean to have the sunshine in it day and night; and by the special sort of sun that I allude to, I mean Kindness, Charity, Unselfishness, Forbearance; and last, but not least, Love. I mean, too, that Pleasure should enter the house--nice, jolly Pleasure--and that Care should keep her wrinkled old face out-of-doors. I mean, in order to secure these things, to have a certain amount of discipline in the house, but that I shall exercise myself, and in my own way. Now, all those who wish to come to Sunshine Lodge, have the kindness to hold up their hands. Those who do not wish to come can keep their hands down." "In course you will _all_ come!" said Ralph. "It's Father's way to talk like that; but he's awfu' jolly, is Father!" "Yes: I believe I am jolly," said Mr Durrant. "You had best take Ralph's estimate of me: it is fair, on the whole. Now girls: who'll come? who'll stay?" Was there an instant's hesitation? Every hand was raised: every eye said "Yes." Every mouth shouted, "I am going!" Every little heart quivered with excitement.