not be here
before quite night.'

Both the little girls would have preferred another run in the
shrubbery, and another peep over the gate at the end of it: but they
were accustomed to know, that their mother's judgment was better than
their own; and without a murmur, therefore they repaired to the
school-room.

'Oh! there they are,--there they are,' said Elizabeth, before she had
scarcely reached the window: 'It must be my brothers,--I am sure it
was a post-chaise.'

'Where--where?' said Harriet, jumping up upon the window seat, and
straining her eyes to catch a sight of the desired object.

'I cannot see it now,' replied Elizabeth, 'it is gone behind the elm
trees by the side of the road: we shall see it again, presently. Do
go, dear Harriet, and ask mamma if we may go down and meet them.'

'But I do not know they are coming,' said Harriet: 'do dear Elizabeth
tell me where you saw them. I do not think you could have seen them:
and if you did, they must be a great way off.'

'Oh there--there, Harriet, cannot you see them now?' said Elizabeth,
putting her arm round her sister's neck; 'There,--just by the mill,
this side of the elms. Now they are gone again.'

'Yes, I see them,' replied Harriet; 'and now they are come out again
from behind old Jackson's cottage. Oh, now I see them very plain.--I
can almost make them both out.'

'Oh, I can make them _quite_ out,' said Elizabeth; 'and they have got
a horn, too, and are blowing away: and John is shaking his
handkerchief. Oh, I wish we might go down and meet them.'

And both the children began jumping about in an ecstasy of joy. At
this moment Mr. and Mrs. Mortimer entered the play-room. 'They are
coming, papa,--they are coming, mamma,' said Harriet and Elizabeth
both together. Mrs. Mortimer had thrown a large cloak and hood over
her, and Mr. Mortimer had his hat in his hand.

'We were coming to fetch you to meet them,' said Mr. Mortimer.--'Come,
make haste, or they will be here before we can be out of the house;
for the young gentlemen travel rapidly with their four horses.'

Harriet and Elizabeth hastened after their father and mother, who were
preparing to lead the way to the shrubbery, but before they were out
of the hall door, the post chaise and four was rattling down the
avenue and in a few minutes the two lads were pressed to the hearts
of their beloved parents and their affectionate sisters.

As the two other youths who accompanied the Mortimers were e