"Do come. You will stay here at the Cottage. I am living with my mother. "Very faithfully yours, JOHN STANBURNE." To this letter, which offered to Mr. Prigley's mind the most tempting of all possible baits, for he dearly loved to dabble in architecture and restorations, the reverend gentleman, being bound by his engagement with the Ogdens, could only regretfully answer:-- "MY DEAR COLONEL STANBURNE,--I should have accepted your kind invitation with the greatest pleasure, and the more so that I take a deep interest in the restoration of your noble old mansion, but unfortunately I have a private pupil whom I cannot leave. It is young Jacob Ogden, whose father is one of your militia officers. "Yours most truly, E. PRIGLEY." But by return of post Mr. Prigley got the following short reply:-- "MY DEAR MR. PRIGLEY,--The best solution of the difficulty will be, to bring little Jacob with you. I know little Jacob very well, and he knows me. Give my compliments to his father if you have to ask his permission, and tell him we will take good care of his little boy. "Yours very faithfully, J. STANBURNE." So the end of it was, that little Jacob found himself suddenly removed to Wenderholme Cottage, where old Mrs. Stanburne lived. The change was highly agreeable to him--not the less agreeable that the companion of his leisure hours was the beautiful little Edith. CHAPTER XXXVII. AT WENDERHOLME COTTAGE. Wenderholme Cottage was in fact a very comfortable and commodious house. Its claims to the humble title which it bore, were, first, that its front was all gables, with projecting roofs, and carved or traceried barge-boards; and, secondly, that its rooms were small. But if they were small they were numerous; and when it pleased Mrs. Stanburne to receive visitors--and it often pleased that hospitable lady so to do--it was astonishing how many people the Cottage could be made to hold.