Thus it happened that Mother, writing away for dear life at a story about a Duchess, a designing villain, a secret passage, and a missing will, dropped her pen as her work-room door burst open, and turned to see Bobbie hatless and red with running.
"Oh, Mother," she cried, "do come down. We found a hound in a red jersey in the tunnel, and he's broken his leg and they're bringing him home."
"They ought to take him to the vet," said Mother, with a worried frown; "I really can't have a lame dog here."
"He's not a dog, really—he's a boy," said Bobbie, between laughing and choking.
"Then he ought to be taken home to his Mother."
"His mother's dead," said Bobbie, "and his father's in Northumberland. Oh, Mother, you will be nice to him? I told him I was sure you'd want us to bring him home. You always want to help everybody."
Mother smiled, but she sighed, too. It is nice that your children should believe you willing to open house and heart to any and every one who needs help. But it's rather embarrassing some times, too, when they act on their belief.
