"Uncle Mac has put all your affairs into my hands now, and here is
your month's pocket money. You keep your own little accounts, I
suppose?"

"Thank you. Yes, Uncle Mac gave me an account book when I
went to school, and I used to put down my expenses, but I couldn't
make them go very well, for figures are the one thing I am not at
all clever about," said Rose, rummaging in her desk for a
dilapidated little book, which she was ashamed to show when she
found it.

"Well, as figures are rather important things to most of us, and you
may have a good many accounts to keep some day, wouldn't it be
wise to begin at once and learn to manage your pennies before the
pounds come to perplex you?"

"I thought you would do all that fussy part and take care of the
pounds, as you call them. Need I worry about it? I do hate sums,
so!"

"I shall take care of things till you are of age, but I mean that you
shall know how your property is managed, and do as much of it as
you can by and by; then you won't be dependent on the honesty of
other people."

"Gracious me! as if I wouldn't trust you with millions of billions if
I had them," cried Rose, scandalised at the mere suggestion.

"Ah, but I might be tempted; guardians are sometimes; so you'd