lively and playful as a cricket."

"How old is he now?" asked Mr. Manly.

"He will be two years and six months old the twenty-third of next
month."

"Just the age of my Edward. How much I should like to see him!"

"I don't think he has gone to sleep yet," said the fond mother of an
only child, rising and going off to her chamber.

"You bachelors don't sympathize much with us fathers of families,"
said Mr. Little, laughing, to Mr. Pelby.

"How should we?"

"True enough! But then you can envy us; and no doubt do."

"It's well enough for you to think so, Little. But, after all, I
expect we are the better off."

"Don't flatter yourself in any such way, Mr. Pelby. I've been"--

"Here's the darling!" exclaimed Mrs. Little, bounding gayly in the
room at the moment, with Tommy, who was laughing and tossing his
arms about in delight at being taken up from his bed, into which he
had gone reluctantly.

"Come to pa, Tommy," said Mr. Little, reaching out his hands. "Now