"You will feel more at home with an uncle so near," he said, gently.

* * * * * * * *

Already the boys and girls of Avondale were talking of the opening of
school. Of all the eager ones, Sprite Seaford was the most excited.
Her mother's careful training had fitted her for a class among girls
of her own age, but she did not know that.

She hoped that she might be in the class with Princess Polly, and Rose,
but wherever her place in school might be, she was eager for the "first
day" to arrive.

One morning Polly and Sprite were on the piazza, before breakfast, and
after pacing up and down for a while, they went down the steps, and
around behind the house to search for Sir Mortimer.

"He's sometimes in under the bushes taking a nap," said Polly, and
they crouched to look under the shrubbery. An ear-piercing screech
made them spring to their feet, and there, flying down the road, was
Gyp, tearing along as if in fright, but what could so have startled
wild, careless Gyp?

He did not stop running, nor did he slacken his pace, but looking
straight ahead, as if not daring to look back, to learn if he were
followed, he raced down the street, fear plainly showing in every
movement of his thin wiry legs.

"What _could_ have frightened him?" Polly asked. Sprite could not