'It is from Miss Millet,' she said; 'her sister's children have got scarlet fever, and she has got a bad sore throat herself from nursing them. They had no idea what it was at first,' she went on reading from the letter; 'but of course she cannot come back to us for ever so long on account of the infection.' 'Poor Miss Millet,' said Rosalys. '_I_ don't mind,' said Biddy; 'I like having holidays.' Alie, who was sitting next her, gave her a little touch. 'Hush, Biddy,' she said, 'that's just one of the things you say that sound _so_ unkind.' She spoke in a whisper, and fortunately for Bridget her father and mother were too much taken up with the letter to notice what she had said. 'I didn't mean,' Biddy was beginning as usual, but Mrs. Vane was speaking to Alie by this time, and no one listened to Biddy. 'I must write to Miss Millet at once,' their mother said, 'though I shall ask her not to write often till the infection is gone--she says this letter is disinfected. And, Alie, you had better put in a little word, and Biddy too, if she likes. It would be kind.' 'Yes, mamma,' said Alie at once, but Bridget did not answer. It was not usual for Mrs. Vane to discuss plans and arrangements for the children before them, but this morning her mind was so full of the unexpected turn of affairs that she could not help talking about them. 'It will be a question of several weeks--even months, I fear,' she said to Mr. Vane; 'there are such a lot of those children, and Miss Millet is sure to wish to nurse them all. We must think over what to do.' 'Perhaps you and I can manage the girls between us,' said Mr. Vane. 'Alie perhaps,' began Mrs. Vane doubtfully. 'Yes,' said Bridget suddenly, to every one's astonishment, 'if it was only Alie. But it would never do for me. I'd be too much for you and papa, mamma.' She spoke quite gravely, but the others had hard work not to laugh. 'How do you mean, Biddy?' asked her father. 'I'm very tiresome to teach; often I'm very cross indeed,' replied the child complacently. 'But you _need_ not be; you can help being so if you try,' said Mr. Vane. 'Well, I don't like trying, I suppose it's that,' she answered. For the moment her father thought it wiser to say no more. Mr. Redding happened to call that morning, and at luncheon Mrs. Vane told Alie and Bride that she was going to Seacove, and they might go with her. Alie's eyes sparkled. 'Are you going to----' she began, and her mother seemed to understand her without any more words. 'Yes,' she said, 'I have got all the measures.' 'And oh, mamma,' asked Biddy, too full of her own ideas to notice these mysterious sayings, '_will_ you go to Pier Street and let us show you where Celestina lives. And if you _could_ think of something you wanted to buy, just any little thing, a pencil or some envelopes or anything--they've got _everything_--we might go into the shop, and I _daresay_ if the nice mamma saw you, she'd ask you to step into the parlour too.'