is very mean of you to keep us waiting all

r's edge, on which the others had grouped themselves in more or less easy attitudes, with the food as a centr

yed at having her dreams so broken in upon. "We hav

ich is my pasty and which Dan's. The letter has been broken on one, and knocked right off another. I carried them ever and ever so carefully,

quite undisturbed, throwing bits of moss into the

on. "Dan always has the largest, whether there is a lette

. She had really not expected any other, bu

want less to eat if you are only ten than if you are twelve. It

ing with his pasty in one hand, while the other one was full of anemones that he had gathered on his way, intending to take them home to Fanny; but already the pretty delicate heads had begun to droop, and Ton

what was in his mind. He looked

d. "You see we shan't get home for hours yet, and they will be quite

wning them?" ask

ey will

d down to the edge of the river. In the wet sand he made little holes with his fingers, put the stems in the holes,

appy way of the present, the future, and the past-of what each one hoped to be, and of Dan's career in particular; whether he would go away to school, and where. Aunt Pike came under discussion too, but not with that spirit of bitterness which would have

ds. The sun lost its first clear, penetrating brilliancy, and too

"or it will be tea-time bef

-of-fact Betty, "I think one of us had better order them so

me time, the ham and eggs and cream tea was to be a part of their day, and they were not going to be deprived of it. So they

which the little garden was stocked. Across the garden, in the hedge, was another gate through which they could see a steep sunny field stretching away down to the river bank, which was steeper here and hi

nd eggs, and cream, a

them, "and it will al

ree o'cl

an in mock despair. "O

ll that time t

re not very hungry now-at least I am not; and you see we've got to pay th

in admiration. But at that same moment there once more r

eizing Tony's hand, drew him ca

for handy missiles. Kitty saw i

t them, Dan, please!

e. Don't throw anyt

aught sight of the quartette at the gate, and were grinning at them derisive

er boots dry yet, sir? Wonderful cooling to the brai

g through the air, then a paper packet. Tonkin, the fireman, caught the apple deftly; the packet hit Dumble on the chest, and dropped to the floor. Dumble himself was too fat to stoop, so Tonkin pounced on it. The engine was at a li

men grasping their spoils and their bruises, Dan felt h

elief that the episode was

d reproachfully, "and the apples were beauties. I wish no

were back at the farm to inquire if it was four o'clock yet. Mrs. Henderson smiled knowingly as she saw them gathered at the door, but she n

asy-chairs, which seemed to them then the most luxurious seats the world could produce-at least they did to Kitty and Dan, who took the only two; Betty got on the window-seat an

bird's-eye view of the battle of Tel-el-Kebir, an almanac for the current year, and a large oleograph of a young lady und a dog wreathed in roses that put every flower in the garden to shame for size and brilliancy. But none of these could give

e of her discovery, her eyes fastened on a representation of that hero asleep in a cave, w

know that in Scotland they have an extra toe in

s never willing to admit ignorance of anything; "but supposing

ear her question, stroll

t be tea-time!

ed from her seat to examine more closely some wax f

make them," she said impressively;

rs laughed at her treasured ornaments, and made jokes about them, and the thought had hurt her, for her affections clung to them, and particularly to the wa

, Mrs. Henderson," she said in her polit

tached to what's our own, specially when 'tis gived to us; and

the wax fruit to gaze at Eli and Samuel. "Did you"-in a voi

said their owner proudly; "and all wh

sped Betty. "But how could y

"No, missie; I mean th

shall work some for my house when I am married. D

rson, laughing. "If you want any help, though, when you do begin, or

Betty excitedly. "Then, when I'm far away, they'll always remind me of you and

," interrupted Dan cruelly, "nor the money either;

utspokenness. "You wait"-with a toss of her head-"until I am g

l wait; and I hope I never ha