street.

"She may not be considerate, but she's dreadful good company," said Mrs.
Todd hastily, coming back a few steps from the neighborhood of the gate.
"No, she ain't a mite considerate, but there's a small lobster left over
from your tea; yes, it's a real mercy there's a lobster. Susan Fosdick
might just as well have passed the compliment o' comin' an hour ago."

"Perhaps she has had her supper," I ventured to suggest, sharing the
housekeeper's anxiety, and meekly conscious of an inconsiderate appetite
for my own supper after a long expedition up the bay. There were so
few emergencies of any sort at Dunnet Landing that this one appeared
overwhelming.

"No, she's rode 'way over from Nahum Brayton's place. I expect they were
busy on the farm, and couldn't spare the horse in proper season. You
just sly out an' set the teakittle on again, dear, an' drop in a good
han'ful o' chips; the fire's all alive. I'll take her right up to lay
off her things, as she'll be occupied with explanations an' gettin' her
bunnit off, so you'll have plenty o' time. She's one I shouldn't like to
have find me unprepared."

Mrs. Fosdick was already at the gate, and Mrs. Todd now turned with an
air of complete surprise and delight to welcome her.

"Why, Susan Fosdick," I heard her exclaim in a fine unhindered voice, as
if she were calling across a field, "I come near giving of you up! I was
afraid you'd gone an' 'portioned out my visit to somebody else. I s'pose
you've been to supper?"

"Lor', no, I ain't, Almiry Todd," said Mrs. Fosdick cheerfully, as she
turned, laden with bags and bundles, from making her adieux to the boy
driver. "I ain't had a mite o' supper, dear. I've been lottin' all the
way on a cup o' that best tea o' yourn,--some o' that Oolong you keep in
the little chist. I don't want none o' your useful herbs."

"I keep that tea for ministers' folks," gayly responded Mrs. Todd.
"Come right along in, Susan Fosdick. I declare if you ain't the same old
sixpence!"

As they came up the walk together, laughing like girls, I fled, full
of cares, to the kitchen, to brighten the fire and be sure that the
lobster, sole dependence of a late supper, was well out of reach of the
cat. There proved to be fine reserves of wild raspberries and bread and
butter, so that I regained my composure, and waited impatiently for my
own share of this illustrious visit to begin. There was an instant sense
of high festivity in the evening air from th