“I’ll do my best; but I don’t see what is to become of us if we don’t go to school.  You will get tired of it first,” said Frank, trying to set a good example to the others, who were looking much impressed and interested.

“No danger of that, for I never sent my children to school to get rid of them, and now that they are old enough to be companions, I want them at home more than ever.  There are to be some lessons, however, for busy minds must be fed, but not crammed; so you boys will go and recite at certain hours such things as seem most important.  But there is to be no studying at night, no shutting up all the best hours of the day, no hurry and fret of getting on fast, or skimming over the surface of many studies without learning any thoroughly.”

“So I say!” cried Jack, pleased with the new idea, for he never did love books.  “I do hate to be driven so I don’t half understand, because there is no time to have things explained.  School is good fun as far as play goes; but I don’t see the sense of making a fellow learn eighty questions in geography one day, and forget them the next.

“What is to become of me, please?” asked Jill, meekly.

“You and Molly are to have lessons here.  I was a teacher when I was young, you know, and liked it, so I shall be school-ma’am, and leave my house-keeping in better hands than mine.  I always thought that mothers should teach their girls during these years, and vary their studies to suit the growing creatures as only mothers can.

“That will be splendid!  Will Molly’s father let her come?” cried Jill, feeling quite reconciled to staying at home, if her friend was to be with her.

“He likes the plan very much, for Molly is growing fast, and needs a sort of care that Miss Dawes cannot give her.  I am not a hard mistress, and I hope you will find my school a pleasant one.”

“I know I shall; and I’m not disappointed, because I was pretty sure I couldn’t go to the old school again, when I heard the doctor say I must be very careful for a long time.  I thought he meant months; but if it must be years, I can bear it, for I’ve been happy this last one though I was sick,” said Jill, glad to show that it had not been wasted time by being cheerful and patient now.

“That’s my good girl!” and Mrs. Minot stroked the curly black head as if it was her own little daughter’s.  “You have done so well, I want you to go on improving, for care now will save you pain and disappointment by and by.  You all have got a capital start during these six weeks, so it is a good time to begin my experiment.  If it does not work well, we will go back to school and college next spring.”

“Hurrah for Mamma and the long vacation!” cried Jack, catching up two big books and whirling them round like clubs, as if to get his muscles in order at once.

“Now I shall have time to go to the Gymnasium and straighten out my back,” said Frank, who was growing so tall he needed more breadth to make his height symmetrical.