and Aunt Jessica, Elliott noticed, had entered from the kitchen.
It was no secret that all the girls had been berrying in the forenoon.
Henry seemed to have had a hand in making the ice-cream, judging by
the compliments he received. So that was the way they lived, thought
the new guest! It was, however, a surprisingly good supper. Elliott
was astonished at herself for eating so much salad, so many berries
and muffins, and for passing her plate twice for ice-cream.

After supper every one seemed to feel it the natural thing to set to
work and "do" the dishes, or something else equally pressing; at least
every one for a short time grew amazingly busy. Even Elliott asked for
an apron--it was Elliott's code when in Rome to do as the Romans
do--though she was relieved when her uncle tucked her arm in his and
said she must come and talk to him on the porch. As they left the
kitchen, the boy Bruce was skilfully whirling a string mop in a pan
full of hot suds.

Under cover of animated chatter with her uncle Elliott viewed the
prospect dolefully. Dish-washing came three times a day, didn't it?
The thing was evidently a family rite in this household. The girl
understood her respite could be only temporary; self-respect would see
to that. But didn't she catch a glimpse of Stannard nonchalantly
sauntering around a corner of the house with the air of one who hopes
his back will not be noticed?

Presently she discovered another household custom--to go up to the top
of the hill to watch the sunset. Up between flowering borders and
through a grassy orchard the path climbed, thence to wind through
thickets of sweet fern and scramble around boulders over a wild,
fragrant pasture slope. It was beautiful up there on the hilltop, with
its few big sheltering trees, its welter of green crests on every
side, and its line of far blue peaks behind which the sun went
down--beautiful but depressing. Depressing because every one, except
Stannard, seemed to enjoy it so. Elliott couldn't help seeing that
they were having a thoroughly good time. There was something engaging
about these cousins that Elliott had never seen among her cousins at
home, a good-fellowship that gave one in their presence a sense of
being closely knit together; of something solid, dependable and
secure, for all its lightness and variety. But, oh, dear! she knew
that she wasn't going to care for the things that they cared for, or
enjoy doing the things that they did! And th