There were some tears shed at parting with "papa," for the children loved him truly, and believed in his love for them, quiet and undemonstrative though his manner was.

There were some tears, too, shed at parting with "nurse," who, having conscientiously spoilt them all, was now getting past work, and was to retire to her married daughter's; there were a good many bestowed on the rough coat of Shag, the pony, and the still rougher of Fusser, the Scotch terrier; but after all, children are children, and for my part I should be very sorry for them to be anything else, and the delights of the change and the bustle of the journey soon drowned all melancholy thoughts.
And so far all had gone charmingly.

Aunty had proved to be all that could be wished of aunty-kind, and grandmother promised more than fairly.
"What _would_ we have done if she had been very tall and stout, and fierce-looking, with spectacles and a hookey nose ?" thought Molly, and as the thought struck her, she left off eating, and sat with wide open eyes, staring at her grandmother.
Though grandmother did not in general wear spectacles--only when reading very small print, or busied with some peculiarly fine fancywork--nothing ever seemed to escape her notice.
"Molly, my dear, what are you staring at so?
Is my cap crooked ?" she said.

Molly started.
"Oh no, grandmother dear," she replied.

"I was only thinking----" she stopped short, jumped off her seat, and in another moment was round the table with a rush, which would have been sadly trying to most grandmothers and aunties, only fortunately these special ones were not like most! "What is the matter, dear ?" grandmother was beginning to exclaim, when she was stopped by feeling two arms hugging her tightly, and a rather bread-and-buttery little mouth kissing her valorously.
"Nothing's the matter," said Molly, when she stopped her kisses, "it only just came into my head when I was looking at you, how nice you were, you dear little grandmother, and I thought I'd like to kiss you.