She knows it
all, but she doesn't want you to know. I think differently about that.
"Three of you are men and women now, and the other two," he smiled into
the upturned, eager faces of Jeff and Justin, "are getting to be men.
Even my youngest can be depended upon to act the strong part."
Justin scrambled to his feet at that, and gravely laid a muscular boy's
hand in his father's.
"I'll stand by you, sir," he said.
Nobody laughed. Charlotte's black bow twitched and a queer sound burst
from the shoulder where her head was buried. Jeff's thick black lashes
went down for a moment; Celia shook two bright drops from brimming eyes
and patted Just's sturdy shoulder. Mr. Birch shook the hand vigorously
without speaking, and only Lansing found words to express what they
felt.
"He speaks for us all, I know, sir. And now if you'll tell us our part
we'll take hold. I think I know what it means. Trips to New Mexico, from
New York, are expensive."
"They are very expensive," Mr. Birch replied, slowly. "I must go with
her. We must travel in the least fatiguing fashion, which means
state-rooms on trains and many extras by the way.
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