Poor soul, she works hard at that school-keeping of hers, and none of
the children are old enough to help her except Lawrence, and he is
going into a decline, the doctors say. I am afraid we shall have to
pinch a bit, unless you and Carrie get some teaching."

"Oh, Uncle Geoff, of course we shall work; and Jack, too, when she
is old enough." Could he think we should be a burden on him, when we
were all young and strong?

I had forgotten poor Aunt Prue, who lived a long way off, and whom
we saw but seldom. She was a pretty, subdued little woman, who always
wore shabby black gowns; I never saw her in a good dress in my life.
Well, we were as poor as Aunt Prue now, and I wondered if we should
make such a gallant fight against misfortune as she did.

We arranged matters after that--Allan and Uncle Geoff and I; for
Carrie had gone to sit with mother, and Fred had strolled off
somewhere. They wanted me to try my hand at housekeeping; at least,
until mother was stronger and more able to bear things.

"Carrie hates it, and you have a good head for accounts," Allan
observed, quietly. It seemed rather strange that they should make me
take the head, when Carrie was two years older, and a week ago I was
only a schoolgirl; but I felt they were right, for I liked planning
and contriving, and Carrie detested anything she called domestic
drudgery.

We considered ways and means after that. Uncle Geoffrey told us the
exact amount of his income, He had always lived very comfortably, but
when he had deducted the extra allowance for poor Aunt Prue, we saw