e. About four o'clock, the servant brings out a
tea-table, and they have some tea and little bits of cake. They do it
all summer long, Aunt Patty says, and the old lady is beautiful,--just
like a picture."

The girls walked down a little. The maid smiled and nodded. The children
made queer stiff bows, both alike, though they were girl and boy; but
they looked half afraid. The maid said "Bon jour" to Nora, who replied
with a longer sentence. And then she began to explain in English and her
scanty French that these were her friends, and that they were studying
French in school. The Deans talked a little; but Hanny was too shy, and
the conversation would have been very amusing to a spectator. But just
when it was getting quite exciting, and they couldn't make each other
understand at all, Hanny caught sight of Delia waving her handkerchief
from the front stoop, which was a signal that dinner was ready, so they
all curtsied and said good-bye.

Afterward Aunt Patty showed them her "treasures," some very odd dishes
and pitchers that were more than a hundred years old, and some jewels,
and the gown Aunt Clem had worn to Washington's Inauguration, and told
them about Mrs. Washington and going to the old theatre in John Street.
She had some beautiful combs, and buckles that her father used to wear,
and kid-gloves that had long arms and came most up to her shoulders. She
told the children so many entertaining stories that before the afternoon
seemed half gone Mr. Underhill came for them. Nora wanted to go also.

"You can take her home with you," said Dele; "and I'll come up for her
this evening. I'm just wild to see Mrs. Underhill and the boys. I hope
the children have had a good time. I've hardly had a glimpse of them
except at dinner."

They crossed the ferry and went over to Jersey. It was still pretty wild
and country-like, but the trees and shrubs and bloom everywhere lent it
a glory. The children chatted merrily, and all agreed the day was too
short.

"But you can come again," said Nora.

When the Deans sprang out, Charles Reed stood by the stoop talking to
Mr. Dean. Nora said the place hadn't changed a bit, and she wished she
was back again. There were nothing but old people in Beach Street, and
she had no little girls to play with. She didn't know what she should do
when vacation came.

They were just through supper when Delia arrived, and she insisted upon
sitting down at the table and having a cup of Mrs. Underh