66 THE DOLL AND HER FRIENDS.

should have to leave home and make a long sea
voyage, when you do not like travelling, and Papa
has so much to keep him in England.”

“Qh, never mind me,” said his mother; “I
shall like nothing so well as travelling, if it does you
good.”

“ And never mind me,” said his father; “ there
is nothing of so much consequence to keep me in
England, as your health to take me out of it.”

“ Besides, my dear child,” said his mother, “ as
the change of climate is so strongly recommended
for you, it becomes a duty as well as a pleasure to
try it.”

“So make your mind easy, my boy,” added his
father; “and I will go and take our passage for
Madeira.”

The father left the room, and the mother re-
mained conversing with her sick child, whose spirits
were unusually excited. I scarcely knew him again.
He was generally slow and quiet, and rather de-
sponding about himself; but he now thought he
should certainly get well, and was so eager and
anxious to start without delay, that his mother had
some difficulty in reconciling him to the idea that no
ship would sail till next month. She also took oreat
pains to impress upon him the duty of resignation,
in case the attempt should fail, after all, in restoring