"I shall not ask Deb's opinion," he answered, rather roguishly; "we
must smooth her down afterward, eh, girls? Seriously, Allan, I think
it is the best plan under the circumstances. I am not fond of being
alone," and here Uncle Geoffrey gave a quick sigh. Poor Uncle Geoff!
he had never meant to be an old bachelor, only She died while he was
furnishing the old house at Milnthorpe, and he never could fix his
mind on any one else.

"I like young folks about me," he continued, cheerfully. "When I get
old and rheumatic, I can keep Dot company, and Jack can wait on us
both. Of course I am not a rich man, children, and we must all help
to keep the kettle boiling; but the house is my own, and you can all
shelter in it if you like; it will save house-rent and taxes, at any
rate for the present."

"Carrie and I will work," I replied, eagerly; for, though Uncle
Geoffrey was not a poor man, he was very far from being rich, and he
could not possibly afford to keep us all. A third of his income went
to poor Aunt Prue, who had married foolishly, and was now a widow
with a large family.

Aunt Prue would have been penniless, only father and Uncle Geoff
agreed to allow her a fixed maintenance. As Uncle Geoff explained to
us afterward, she would now lose half her income.

"There are eight children, and two or three of them are very
delicate, and take after their father. I have been thinking about it
all, Esther," he said, when Allan and I were alone with him, "and I
have made up my mind that I must allow her another hundred a year.