"No secrets," answered auntie, wiping her eyes. "Cricket was only telling me that she didn"t set up to be a _paragon_."
Cricket flashed a quick glance at auntie, caught her eye, and nodded her thanks.
"There"s George Washington," she hastily remarked, changing the subject. "Come here, sir, and play a little. You"ve been as sober as a judge lately. I haven"t seen you run after Martha for perfect ages."
The September days slipped by, until the first of October was just at hand. It was arranged that Auntie Jean should go and get the house in town in readiness for the family"s return. At first she expected to go alone, but the girls begged to go with her, and finally she concluded to take them.
Will and Archie had already gone back to Philadelphia, on account of their school, so this arrangement would only leave the younger ones and Eliza with grandma for a few days longer.
Then, oh, joy! that blessed Auntie Jean further decided that she would take them all down to New York the day before the steamer was due, so that they might have the earliest possible glimpse of the family. Was not all this enough to fill any little girl"s cup of bliss to overflowing?
For once, reality surpa.s.sed antic.i.p.ation. Such excitement for the last week in packing up; such walks and rows and drives between times; such a fine number of the "Echo," to wind up with; such a funny farewell call--laden with all manner of good things--to the old woman, who was still overcome by the thought that she had seen Miss Cricket; then such parting hugs and kisses for dear grandma and the children; such hand-shakings with old Billy, who distributed peppermints like a red and white snow.
Then came the jolly three days" picnic in the empty house in town. The three girls thought that they rendered perfectly indispensable aid to auntie and the maids, in opening the house, getting off holland covers, and arranging everything, till it was all in apple-pie order for the homecomers.
Then came the last and loveliest treat,--the delightful trip to New York in the night boat, and the vast importance of the thought of going to meet their European travellers. They discussed them, as if they had been gone ten years, at least. Eunice wondered if she would know Marjorie, and if Donald"s mustache would be as long as papa"s, while Cricket was a little afraid that they might have forgotten how to talk English.
The steamer was not due till late in the afternoon, so that they had the day before them, and a day crammed with good things it was. Although they had often been there before, the children immediately voted for Central Park and the Metropolitan Museum first. Then they visited some of the great stores, and then lunched at Delmonico"s. In the afternoon they went for a long, lovely ride up Riverside Park, and then, at last, came the crowning joy of watching the steamer"s arrival.
"There"s mamma!" shrieked Cricket, regardless of the crowd about her, as the great steamer swung into her moorings, and in five minutes more everybody was being rapturously hugged by everybody else.
THE END.