d.

Audrey had to do it. She knew that if she did not Faith would--and when
Faith opened a door--well, all there was to see one saw. In a gust of
anger she turned the handle and opened the door as little as she could.
Oh how she longed for one of the exquisitely neat Dutch kitchens so often
seen in pictures.

"Mary!" she called in impatiently, "wherever are you? Do you know what
has become of the children?"

Mary heard at last, and hurrying forward to reply, spread the door as
hospitably wide as it would go, and stood outlined against a background of
dirty pots and pans, a table piled with unwashed dishes, and a litter of
torn paper everywhere. She had been so busy packing the baskets for tea
that her own work had got more behind than usual.

"I saw them going out of the garden carrying a basket each," she said
slowly, eyeing the while with the keenest interest the visitors whom she
now saw for the first time. "I thought you had sent them on ahead,
perhaps, Miss Audrey."

Mr. Carlyle counted again the baskets on the table. "There are four here.
Isn't that the lot?" he asked.

"Yes, sir." Mary looked puzzled. "Then I don't know what they were
carrying. I didn't pay much heed, but I'm sure they were carrying some,
and heavy ones too."

"Some nonsense or other that they have thought of, I suppose," sighed
Audrey wearily, and hurried away. Mary would not close that door as long
as they stood there, so the only thing to do was to take the guests away.

"I expect they have gone on to try and find a specially nice spot to have
tea in," suggested Faith. "They are always busy about something and they
love to give us surprises. Don't you think we had better follow them?"

Mr. Carlyle laughed. "As likely as not they have taken up a load of their
toys to help to make a pleasant afternoon for us. Now, can you young
people carry two of these baskets between you, if I carry the other two?"

"I can take both," cried Keith eagerly, "it is easier to carry two than
one." But the girls would listen to no such argument.

"Oh no, no," laughed Faith, "we have some strong sticks on purpose to
sling them on, then two of us will carry a basket between us. I have been
longing to try it, it seems such an easy way."

But Keith, though longing to help, was not inclined for a _tete-a-tete_
with one of his own sisters, and was shy of facing one with one of these
strangers. "I know," he cried, with sudden inspiration, "I'll