hankful to see that tea was ready. George and Carrie
had not been seen since they departed at two o'clock."

"You made tea all by yourself, Lucy," said Miss Keane, laying her
kind hand on Lucy's sunny head. "Clever little maiden, how are we to
thank you?"

"Judge Keane helped me, Miss Alice," replied Lucy blushing and
smiling.

"Helped! I should think I did," said the judge tragically: "she sat
on the waggon like a queen, and commanded me like a slave. She looks
meek and mild enough, but don't trust her."

"Papa, how much nonsense do you talk in a day?" she said. "I wish the
other two would turn up; I'm famished."

"Are we to wait on them, papa?" inquired Minnie piteously. "I guess
they don't want any tea: lovers never want anything to eat. Mayn't
we have it now?"

"Yes," said Miss Keane.--"Lucy dear, may I trouble you for the
teapot.--Papa, hand the sugar, and make yourself useful."

"What a real nice boy your brother Tom is," said Minnie Keane,
dropping down by Lucy's side. "We had a splendid time down there,
while Alice and Mr. Goldthwaite talked out of books. Aren't you very
fond of him?"

"Of Tom? Of course I am," answered Lucy; "you know I have nobody but
him, and he has nobody but me."

"Lucy, your tea is delightful," said Mr. Goldthwaite from the other
side of the table-cloth. "I don't know when I enjoyed anything so
well."

"Hunger is good sauce," said the judge;--"here are the truants." Mr.
George Keane and Miss Goldthwaite appeared now, apparently very much
astonished to find themselves behind time. The judge made room for
Carrie beside himself, and after looking blankly at her for a few
minutes, said solemnly, "I thought I heard you say you wanted ferns;
but I must have been mistaken, or possibly they haven't come up in
the glen this year.--Some tea here, Alice.--Miss Goldthwaite, may I
help you to a piece of cake?" The truants joined in the laugh against
themselves, and the rest of the meal was passed in a perfect babel of
talking.

"What shall we do now, papa?" said Alice when they had finished. "We
won't be going home for a little while."

The judge looked at his watch. "Twenty minutes past five: we shall
start at six. Well, I propose that each member of the company
composes, within the space of ten minutes, four lines of verse
descriptive of the scenery. I have brought pencils and paper; and the
best writer shall have my gold pencil-case to him or her self."

There was a general exclam