The inexhaustible baby, hearing this, resumed the offensive, and said: “But there’s no nursery for me, sir. What do you mean, marble-hearted parent?” To which the marble-hearted parent rejoined that there was a⁠—sort of a kind of a⁠—nursery, and it might be “made to do.”

“Made to do?” returned the Inexhaustible, administering more punishment, “what do you take me for?” And was then turned over on its back in Bella’s lap, and smothered with kisses.

“But really, John dear,” said Bella, flushed in quite a lovely manner by these exercises, “will the new house, just as it stands, do for baby? That’s the question.”

“I felt that to be the question,” he returned, “and therefore I arranged that you should come with me and look at it, tomorrow morning.” Appointment made, accordingly, for Bella to go up with him tomorrow morning; John kissed; and Bella delighted.