Aunt Ninette hastened into her husband’s room in great alarm, not knowing what effect all this disturbance would have upon him.  He was sitting calmly at his table, with all the windows in the room closed and fastened.

“My dear Titus! who could have foreseen this?  What shall we do?” she called out in tones of despair.

“It strikes me that the next house has a great wealth of children.  We cannot help that, but we can keep the windows shut,” replied her husband resignedly.

“But, my dearest Titus, only remember that you have come here expressly to breathe the healthy mountain air!  As you never go out, you must let the air come in to you.  But what will be the end if this is the beginning?  What will become of us if this goes on?”

“We must go home again,” said Uncle Titus, continuing to write.

Somewhat calmed by this proposition, Aunt Ninette returned to her room.

Dora had been very busy, putting her little room in perfect order, for she had formed a plan, which she meant to carry out as soon as this was done.  The happy noise of the six children had so excited the lonely little girl that she was filled with the strongest desire to see them come back again, to see them get out of the carriage, and to see what would happen next; whether they wouldn’t perhaps come into the garden where the triumphal arch stood, and then she could have a nearer view.  She had made a little plan for watching them if they came into the garden.  She thought that she might perhaps find a hole in the hedge that divided Mrs. Kurd’s little garden from the large grounds next door, through which she could get a good view of what the children were doing, and how they looked.  The child did not know what Aunt Ninette would say to this, but she determined to ask directly.  At the door of her aunt’s room she met Mrs. Kurd, who had come to call them to supper.  Dora made her request then and there, to be allowed to go into the little garden, but her aunt said that it was now supper time, and after supper it would be quite too late.  Mrs. Kurd put in a word in Dora’s favor, saying that no one would be out there, and it would be safe for Dora to run about there as much as she chose, and at last Aunt Ninette consented to allow her to go out for a while after supper.  The child could scarcely eat, so great was her excitement.  She listened all the while for the sound of the returning wheels and the children’s voices, but nothing was to be heard.  When supper was over, her aunt said,

“You may go out now for a little while, but don’t go far from the house.”