"
"Nell, it would add much to your already full hands. It hardly seems fair
to you," Austin said hesitatingly.
"I would certainly count it a great favor. As soon as I could I would end
things up here and come to Weston with the others, and perhaps could find a
way to care for them," said their uncle.
"We can not go away and leave the little things without some one to look
after them," said Nell decidedly. So it was planned that Austin and Nell
should take the three younger ones home with them. The oldest of the three
was only six, and the baby was less than two years old. Nell did not
realize then what she was undertaking. Their friends at Weston lifted their
hands in dismay when they saw the increase in Austin's family. "Is the boy
mad to undertake such a thing?" some of them asked. But Austin and Nell
plodded on doing their best with their new responsibilities. It was already
late in the week when they came home. The next Sunday morning Austin came
into his place in Sunday-school with little John on his arm and with
another tiny toddler at his side.
A few weeks passed by and their uncle came with the three older children.
He seemed to drop them with a sigh of relief at Austin's door. Though it
had been understood that the arrangement was only temporary, it was soon
seen that Uncle Philip felt little more responsibility when he once had the
children under Austin's hand.
Now, Nell was an authoritative little body, bearing, as she had,
responsibilities all too heavy for a child.
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