they consulted the clock
in the ticket office, but it was close to ten minutes past and when
the three girls stepped out on the platform the smoke of the train
was already visible far up the track.

There were several people waiting, most of them Eastshore people,
and these came up and asked about Mrs. Willis. Rosemary, assuring
them that her mother was definitely declared to be out of danger,
was fairly radiant.

"Rosemary!" a girl about her own age hailed her. "I'm so glad to see
you. Daddy told us last night your mother is better, but I didn't
like to call you up because I thought perhaps you still had the
phone muffled. Mother and I are going down to the beach to stay till
after Labor Day."

"How lovely!" cried Rosemary. "You have the nicest things happen to
you, Harriet. Are you going on this train?"

"Yes, and don't I wish you were coming!" responded Harriet warmly.
"Couldn't you come down next month, if your mother is well enough to
leave?"

"Oh, goodness, Mother has gone away, to be gone a year," said
Rosemary hurriedly. "I can't go anywhere, you see. Besides Aunt
Trudy Wright is coming on this train, and Hugh is going to be
home all summer. There's your mother beckoning--run, Harriet,
and be sure you write to me."

They kissed each other and Harriet ran back to her mother and was
lost in the anxious pushing group that surrounded the steps of the
slowly stopping train.

"Hang on to Shirley, while I try to find Aunt Trudy," directed
Rosemary, with a sudden panicky feeling that she couldn't remember
what her aunt looked like.

But, as soon as she saw her, she recognized her.

"Well, Rosemary darling, you came to meet me--that's lovely I'm
sure," cried Aunt Trudy, panting slightly from her leap off the last
step of the car, to the conductor's unconcealed amazement. "And
Mother is much better, the telegram said. As soon as I heard, I
resolved nothing should keep me from you--Oh, there's Shirley and
Sarah, the dears!"

Shirley responded affectionately to her aunt's caresses, but Sarah
stood like a wooden image and submitted to being kissed with bad
grace. Aunt Trudy was too excited to be critical.

"What do I do about my trunks?" she fluttered. "And these bags are
both heavy--I've brought you girls each a little something. Is Hugh
home? And Winnie is still with you, of course?"

Rosemary wisely did not attempt to answer all these questions and,
considering that Winnie had been in the Willis family