It was at that time of year when leaves begin to lose their green hue,
and are first tinctured with a brown shade that increases rather than
decreases their beauty, that Mr. and Mrs. Mortimer received a letter
from a brother of Mrs. Mortimer's, at Portsmouth, requiring such
immediate attention that it was thought advisable that the answer should
be given in person and not in writing, and without a day's loss of time.
So it was determined that Mr. and Mrs. Mortimer should leave their home,
even as soon as the following morning, to visit their brother at
Portsmouth, and that they then should settle the business for which they
went as quickly as possible, that their absence from home need not be
prolonged unnecessarily, nor indeed for any length of time. It did not
take long to arrange this part of the affair, and what packing was
requisite was also done quickly, but the point which required most
attention and thought was, what was to become of Marten and his young
brother Reuben while their papa and mamma were away. "I have never left
them before," said their mamma, "and I feel somewhat anxious about their
being left now."

"Anxious, dear mamma," exclaimed Marten, who had overheard the remark.
"Anxious," he repeated, "why I am a great boy now, and I shall soon be a
man, when I shall have to take care of myself altogether; and if I
cannot take care of myself for a week, what is to become of me when I
am grown up? Indeed, mamma, I think you forget how old I am. I was
thirteen on the 21st of April."

"Tirteen," lisped little Reuben--"Marten tirteen--April--Oh, Marten very
old mamma--very, very wise;" and Reuben opened his eyes quite wide and
looked so very earnestly in his mother's face, that one would have
thought he was trying to read therein what she could mean about being
anxious as to leaving Marten,--the Marten who appeared so very old and