It is almost like holidays." This was quite true.

It had been settled between grandmother and their father that for the first two or three months the children should not have many lessons.

They had been working pretty hard for a year or two with a very good, but rather strict, governess, and Sylvia, at no time exceedingly strong, had begun to look a little fagged.
"They will have plenty to use their brains upon at first," said their father.

"The novelty of everything, the different manners and customs, and the complete change of life, all that will be enough to occupy and interest them, and I don't want to overwork them.

Let them run wild for a little." It sounded very reasonable, but grandmother had her doubts about it all the same.