was Chester, riding down the road, _full gallop_, yet hardly
with the air of one pursued by hags. He sat the horse bravely, and waved
his graceful hand to the faces at the window.

Scrambling and screaming with joy, the children ran to the door to meet
their brother. Only Hepsy remained in the sitting-room. Her poor heart
beat fearfully, her breath came very short, and she was pale, faint and
trembling. She had neither strength nor courage to go forward and
welcome her cousin. Samuel came from the garden, James from the barn,
and the three younger children from the house, to meet Chester at the
gate. The latter swung himself from the saddle, and catching up Willie,
who had climbed the fence, tossed him playfully upon the horse's back.

"How are you, chuck?" he cried, kissing Lizzie. "Folks all well? Why,
Jim, how you have grown!"

"O! O! O!" screamed Willie, afraid of falling, as Sam led the horse into
the yard; "take me down!"

"Don't you want to ride?" asked Chester.

"No! I'll fall! O!"

Chester laughed, and took him off, kissing his tanned cheek, before he
set him upon the turf.

"I want to ride!" cried Lizzie.

"Do you?" laughed her brother. He threw her up so suddenly that she
found herself in a position rather more becoming to boys than girls. The
children shouted while she hastily shifted sidewise on the saddle, and
Chester put her foot in the stirrup-strap.

"I want to ride, too!" cried Georgie, clinging to his brother's legs.

"Well, we'll see if the pony will carry double. Hold him tight by the
bridle, Sam."

Sam liked no better fun. He held the horse while Chester put up George
behind Lizzie. The animal curled back his ears, but did not seem to mind
it much.

George was so delighted with his position, that Willie, who had
abdicated his seat voluntarily, now began to cry with envy.

"Do you want to ride now?" said Chester. "Hold fast to Georgie, then."

He put him up, and the child laughed gleefully before his tears were
dry.

James looked as if he would like to ride, too, but was too manly to
speak of it.

"Hold tight, Willie!" said he.

"I will!" cried the urchin, hugging Georgie with all his might.

"O! you hurt!" roared Georgie. "There's a pop-gun in my jacket pocket,
and you squeeze it right into my side."

Chester reached up, and removed the pop-gun, much to Georgie's relief.

"Now lead on to the barn, Sam," said he,--"slowly. Don't let the young
ones get hurt, when you take t