And to the sea-shore they went, leaving the house in charge of the
treasures.

"I have confidence in you," said Thaddeus to Jane and Ellen on the
morning of the departure, "so I have decided to leave the house open
in your care. Mrs. Perkins wants you to keep it as you would if she
were here. Whatever you need to make yourselves comfortable, you
may get. Good-bye."

"What a comfort it is," said Bessie, when they had reached the sea-
shore, and were indulging in their first bit of that woful luxury,
homesickness--"what a comfort it is to feel that the girls are there
to look after things! An empty house is such a temptation to
thieves."

"Yes," said Thaddeus. "I hope they won't entertain too much,
though."

"Ellen and Jane are too old for that sort of thing," Bessie
answered.

"How about Norah?"

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. There was nothing really for Norah to
do, so I told her she could go off and stay with her mother on
board-wages."

"Good!" said Thaddeus, with a pleased smile. "It isn't a bad idea
to save, particularly when you are staying at the sea-shore."