The House That Grew

hould have liked to go on till midnight or later even, working by moonlight, for i

atly we could finish it all by daylight with the straw and packing clot

at night, by Esmé's sleeping with mamma, and by taking out the end

was not a wall, only a wooden partition, to tell us to be quiet. I never knew any one with such spirits as Taisy-not only high spirits, but nice ones, for she was never boisterous, and she knew in a moment if you were no

me, even for mamma. We were in danger just then of being too much taken up w

ing at the sea-gazing, gazing, as if she could scarcely bear it and yet must look at it. The cruel sea, which had taken dear papa so far away! On fine, sunny days I almost think somehow it seemed worse. I know that feeling

ntie dear, which will

t already, very busy and interested, but the fun of the life there came with Taisy. She was full of it, tho

he waggon was, so to say, protected by one of the iron walls-I don't know what else to call it, and which also gave the advantage of a tap in the night arousing us at once, in case Taisy felt frightened, which she never did. But the tapping wa

of it; that first day after it was all a

ed curtain that drew round, and short red curtains to the windows, and a tiny chest of drawers; it was really one end of an old writing-table, or secretaire, to hold gloves and pocket-handkerchiefs and belts and small things like that. Then under the bed there was a long low trunk, what is called a cabin po

ied off some of her most crushable things, as she said she had really some spare room in her own cupboards or wardrobes; and I took her best hat, as it had lovely white feathers, which i

dear mamma, never thinking of herself and anxious to leave the big house as pretty as usual, had left behind some li

ust like the one you have in the boudoir at home, and cushions-I know you wi

u hadn't got enough "wraps." Nothing will persuade he

. And-did you know, Ida?-Aunt Emmeline has also sent us two hampers full of all manner of good

uade her either that you are not--' S

not mind, Taisy dear-as if anything could offend us that you said or that Aunt Emmeline thought. And

hams or pickle tongues

ry welcome. I think Hoskins was more ple

ut' a little, as Taisy said. He was inclined to be too serious and anxious, and to overwork, at this time, because of the scholarship, and as I had put it into his head, I was doubly glad of being helped to keep him bright and merry, as I know he worked all the be

ly long letter from papa; up to now he had written scarcely more t

and he was beginning to think that, at worst, it would not turn out too awfully bad. And for

oo. It was, for me, too delightful not to have much governessing to do, for Taisy at o

, and she always has said that she learnt more in this way about

till another rather big thing happened-almost as big as the 'd

ew event, I must relate a curio

te long, and we were specially glad to be in the open air as much as possible, for we had had a good deal of rain for nearly a week-mamma was rea

re's a gypsy at the back door, and I c

d I did not know there were any in the neighbourhood just now. It is so seldom they come this wa

y was no

I think,' said Hoskins; 'I heard her ca

ing; our books must have been interesting

t through the lodge g

out of her way to see you-there are not any camping about near here. She has a boy with her-perhaps she wants something for him-q

ove. 'Perhaps I had better speak to her; it would not do to have her lurking about al

amma?' I said. 'I have nev

at me rathe

ll your fortune or anything of that kind, Ida,

trange visitor was standing-Margery, who was washing up (I never saw Margery not washing up, by the bye), wa

went f

ee me for?' she said g

s very brown, her hair jet-black, her eyes not quite as dark as one imagines a gypsy's must be; I thought to myself that perhaps the very tanned complexion mad

'I did want to see you.

e low, and she talked slowly, alm

through the gat

was a shake

-not to-day,' she said. 'There

ugh the hedges, or over the wall

shake of

was the reply, and somehow mamma seemed as i

he little fellow beside the gypsy. A very little fellow he was-dark too, very dark-skinned and grave and rather frightened-looking. He stood the

an-glanced at him and said something rather sharply in a queer-sounding language, on which the little fellow gave a sort of tug to

white teeth; 'I am not quite old enough for that, though I may look it. I wanted to see you for a reason of my own-to do you no harm, you may be sure. And one day you w

hook he

e gypsy, looking at me. Mamma sh

er you told mine than hers. Such

woman, and again she held out her

ew n

ered; 'she may be of

and held out

but gravely, as if she were issuing a command

illing,' said

ma's hand, studying it close

she then said, wi

a ga

t only for a time. It will restore what it has carried away. And you will be happy. You have a brave heart. Strange things have happened of late to you. You have with you an unexpected

s getting late, and you say you have come far and this little fellow will be tir

an, without persisting further; 'a

through the lodge gates?' said m

. 'I shall not pass that way

forward and s

s going by the shore! What a

s farther on, from where boats were easily launched, and whence an hour o

nd explains the mystery. But she was a queer woma

aid. 'I do wonder how she knew about your es

It is very strange h

nt on; 'that meant Taisy, of course. But

heir stock prophecies. Still she did not strike me as quite a commonplace gyps

oop, followed by the appearance of the two boys, wh

n in the wood,

a gypsy at the back door,' and I went on to tell

ie wh

her,' he remarked. 'Did she sa

ok my

ous about it, but she went away in the

Esmé, looking very hot and untidy, but very eager to hear all details of ou

id we had really better change the subject, or she wo

added; and though she smiled and did not seem at all vexed, I somehow felt that she rat

was. 'She spoke sharply to him, and he seemed

ce at all, though there was something rath

, and stroked

the child,' she said, 'though he is not her son-or

, who, for a wonder, was sitting quietly wit

very rude to laugh at any