printed inside the lid and a little gilt key to wind it up with, for
Prudence; a Winsor and Newton paint-box for Grizzel; _Five Weeks in
a Balloon_, by Jules Verne, for Hugh; and a Punchinello doll on a
stick for Baby.

"I must say," Mollie remarked appreciatively, "your father _is_ a
peach. I have often wanted to see a proper kaleidoscope, but they
seem to have gone out of fashion."

The others were too busy admiring their own things to observe
Mollie's remarks. Grizzel was speechless with joy as she found all
the paints she had been longing for--the crimson lake, Prussian
blue, Vandyke brown, and the rest; Prue had wound up her box, and as
Mollie turned her kaleidoscope towards the light, and delighted
herself with the wonderful colours and designs it produced, she
heard the delicate, sweet tinkle of a faintly familiar tune--an old-
fashioned sort of tune....

While they were thus pleasantly occupied Professor and Mrs. Campbell
and Hugh returned, and Mollie was introduced to "Mamma" who after
all did not look in the least alarming. She was a fair, pretty
woman, with large clear eyes like Hugh's and a beautifully modulated
voice. She kissed Mollie and looked at her with rather a sad
expression in her eyes:

"You must tell me all about home this evening," she said in her
musical voice. "How nicely your hair is cut; I wonder if Prue's
would look nice like that."

"No, no," said Papa, laying his hand on Prue's curls, "I can't spare