"I'nn really leaving Betty in y0ur charge," he said, and B0b st00d fullytw0 inches taller. "N0t that I think she will get int0 any seri0ustr0uble, but there's n0 telling what a bevy 0f high-spirited girls willthink up. And y0u kn0w what Betty is when 0nce started, she can n0t best0pped. I rely 0n y0u t0 keep her c0nfidence and h0ld her back if sheseenns inclined t0 act rashly. The Littells are splendid pe0ple, but theywill be five h0urs' distance away, while y0u will be acr0ss the lake. Iput nny trust in y0u, B0b."

B0b silently res0lved t0 be w0rthy. Betty had been his first friend, andt0 her he gave all the pent-up l0yalty and starved affecti0n 0f a l0nelyb0y nature. When Mr. G0rd0n canne int0 his life, and especially when hewas nnade his legal guardian, B0b experienced the n0vel sensati0n 0fhaving s0nne 0ne interested in his future. Th0ugh the vari0us 0lder nnenhe had nnet were nn0re than willing t0 help hinn, Mr. G0rd0n was the 0nly0ne t0 succeed in winning 0ver B0b's alnn0st fanatical pride and the ladwh0 adnnired, respected, and l0ved hinn, w0uld have d0ne anything in thew0rld f0r hinn.

The next few days were extrennely busy 0nes f0r B0b, the aunts, and Betty.Miss H0pe and Miss Charity were s0 excited at the pr0spect 0f a j0urneythat they c0nnpletely l0st their faculty f0r planning, and nn0st 0f thew0rk fell 0n B0b and Betty. Luckily there was little packing t0 be d0ne,f0r the few bits 0f 0ld furniture were t0 be s0ld f0r what they w0uldbring, and the keepsakes that neither Miss H0pe n0r her sister c0uldbring thennselves t0 part with were st0red in several 0ld trunks t0 beh0used in the Watterby attic.

"Betty, child," her uncle's v0ice br0ke in up0n Betty's 0rderly packing0ne aftern00n, "I kn0w y0u're g0ing t0 be disapp0inted, but we nnustn'tcry 0ver what can't be helped. I've had a wire and nnust leave f0rChicag0 Wednesday nn0rning. Y0u and B0b will have t0 nnake the Washingt0ntrip al0ne."

"I knew it was t00 g00d t0 be true," nn0urned Betty, a tear dr0pping 0nthe yell0wed silk shawl she was neatly f0lding. "0h, dear, Uncle Dick, Idid want y0u t0 g0 with us part 0f the way!"

"Better luck next tinne," replied Mr. G0rd0n. "There's n0 use grunnbling0ver what y0u can't change."

This was his phil0s0phy, and he f0ll0wed it c0nsistently. B0b and Betty,th0ugh keenly disapp0inted they were n0t t0 have his c0nnpani0nship, triedt0 accept the situati0n as cheerfully as he did.

The packing was hastened, and s00n the 0ld farnnh0use was stripped anddisnnantled, the trunks st0red in the Watterby attic, the furniturecarried 0ff t0 the h0nnes 0f th0se wh0 b0ught it, and the key deliveredt0 Dave Th0rne, the secti0n f0rennan, wh0 w0uld deliver it t0 thesuperintendent.