“Let me help you, Mona,” said Mr. Fairfield, kindly.  “Is it something you have to tell us,—­or ask us?”

“Yes, sir, yes!  That’s it!”

“Well, tell us, then.  But take your time and tell us quietly.  Then you won’t get incoherent.”

The quiet friendliness of his tones seemed to reassure the girl, and letting the swing stand still, Mona began: 

“You see, Mr. Fairfield,—­and Mrs. Fairfield, my father is going to Europe next week.  It’s on a business trip, and he only just found out that he had to go.  He will take me with him if I want to go, but I don’t!  So I proposed a plan to him instead of that, which he thinks is fine.  And,—­and, I want to know what you think about it.”

“We will probably approve of it, if your father does,” said Nan, helpfully.

“Well—­it’s just this.  For me to stay at home, and keep our house open, and have Patty stay there with me, instead of her going to the mountains with you.”

“You and Patty stay there alone!” exclaimed Mr. Fairfield.

“No, sir; not alone.  Father would ask his sister, my Aunt Adelaide, to stay with us, as chaperon.  She’s a lovely lady, and she’d be glad to come.”

“Well, I don’t know,—­I don’t know,” said Mr. Fairfield.  “I’m not sure I could go off and leave Patty with strangers.”

“But I’m not a stranger,” said Mona, “and Aunt Adelaide won’t be, as soon as you know her.  I haven’t seen her myself for some years, but she’s a lovely, sweet character,—­everybody says so.  And then, you see, we wouldn’t have to close up our house, and Patty wouldn’t have to leave Spring Beach,—­and, oh, we could have lovely times!”

“How long will your father be gone?”

“Two months.  August and September.  He would rather take me with him, but he said if you all agreed to my plan, he would do so, too.”

“Well, it’s a surprise,” said Mr. Fairfield, “and we’ll have to think it over, and talk it over.  How does it strike you, Patty?”

Patty considered.  It was her habit to decide quickly, but this was a case with several sides to be looked at.  Yet, of course, it must be decided at once, for Mr. Galbraith must have time to make his preparations.

Patty’s heart jumped with joy at the thought of staying at Spring Beach instead of going to the mountains.  But—­the joy was a little dampened at the idea of staying with Mona, and not at “The Pebbles.”

“Why can’t we both stay here?” she said at last.  “Let Mona visit me here, and let her aunt chaperon us just the same.”

“Oh, no,” Mona said.  “I know father wouldn’t consent to that.  You see, it’s a great undertaking to close up our big place, and find homes for the servants, and look after the horses and gardens and all that, just for two months.  Father was relieved at the thought of just walking off and leaving it all in charge of Aunt Adelaide.  And then, we could have so much more room there, you know—­” Mona paused, blushing.  She did not want to imply that “Red Chimneys” was a grandly appointed mansion, while “The Pebbles” was only a pretty cottage, but that was what she meant.