After tea Ma despatched Pa over to William Alexander 's to borrow a high chair . When Pa returned in the twilight , the baby was fenced in on the sofa again , and Ma was stepping briskly about the garret . She was bringing down the little cot bed her own boy had once occupied , and setting it up in their room for Teddy . Then she undressed the baby and rocked him to sleep , crooning an old lullaby over him . Pa Sloane sat quietly and listened , with very sweet memories of the long ago , when he and Ma had been young and proud , and the bewhiskered William Alexander had been a curly-headed little fellow like this one . Ma was not driven to advertising for Mrs. Garland 's brother . That personage saw the notice of his sister 's death in a home paper and wrote to the Carmody postmaster for full information . The letter was referred to Ma and Ma answered it . She wrote that they had taken in the baby , pending further arrangements , but had no intention of keeping it ; and she calmly demanded of its uncle what was to be done with it . Then she sealed and addressed the letter with an unfaltering hand ; but , when it was done , she looked across the table at Pa Sloane , who was sitting in the armchair with the baby on his knee . They were having a royal good time together . Pa had always been dreadfully foolish about babies . He looked ten years younger . Ma 's keen eyes softened a little as she watched them . A prompt answer came to her letter . Teddy 's uncle wrote that he had six children of his own , but was nevertheless willing and glad to give his little nephew a home . But he could not come after him . Josiah Spencer , of White Sands , was going out to Manitoba in the spring . If Mr. and Mrs. Sloane could only keep the baby till then he could be sent out with the Spencers . Perhaps they would see a chance sooner .
`` There 'll be no chance sooner , '' said Pa Sloane XXXXX a tone of satisfaction .
If across after as at for in like of that