"Isn't he a beauty, mummy? Isn't he a darling?" called Violet. "He's Wobbin's and mine too!" cried Rose, bending her little body forward, and clasping her arms round the pony's neck. "Robina," said her mother, turning to her, "put on your habit, go downstairs at once, and let me see you mount Bo-peep. I do hope you know how to spring properly into your saddle: I should like to see how you manage it." Robina did manage it, and to her mother's satisfaction. The invalid was better that evening, and the next day requested once again that Bo-peep should be brought round for inspection. And now an extraordinary thing happened: for from seeing the horse at a distance, the good lady took an unreasonable desire--at least so it seemed to Miss Jennings--to see him near: and as this could only be accomplished by coming downstairs: downstairs she came, Bo-peep was then led up to the dining-room window, and graciously received a carrot from Mrs Starling's own hand. By and by, she too was stroking his face, and looking into his eyes, and murmuring his name in tones of the deepest affection. In short, Bo-peep was bidding fair to cure Mrs Starling. But the fortnight which Robina was to spend at home was drawing to an end, and the day was approaching when she, Bo-peep, and Peter, were to leave Heather House en route for Sunshine Lodge. Mrs Starling was unreasonable about this. She wanted Bo-peep to remain behind, and Robina was quite willing that it should be so. "I have got so much," she said; "and mother loves my little horse, and I can think of him as a delightful creature to return to before I go back to school." But on this occasion, it was no less a person than Miss Felicia Jennings who interfered.