asure were unearthed, and the pile of boxes in the wheelbarrow grew
higher every moment. The boxes were of all shapes and sizes. They were
all carefully tied up with lots of string and paper, and they all bore
testimony in large printed letters that they had been buried by Captain
Kidd and his band of pirates. King unearthed a large box two or three
feet square, but very flat and shallow. He could not imagine what it
might contain, but he piled it on the wheelbarrow with the others.

After twenty pieces of treasure had been dug up, Uncle Steve declared
that they had emptied the field, and he led the children back to the
house. Carter followed with the wheelbarrow, and they all gathered in the
little enclosed porch that had been furnished especially for Marjorie the
summer before. With a whiskbroom, Carter brushed off any dirt still
clinging to the treasures, and piled them up on a table.

Then calling the children by name. Uncle Steve invited each one to select
a box of treasure for his or her very own. As it was impossible to judge
by the shape of the box what it contained, great merriment was caused by
the surprises which ensued.

The treasures were all dainty and pretty gifts; there were books, games,
toys, fancy boxes, and pretty souvenirs of many sorts. If a boy received
a gift appropriate for a girl, or _vice versa_, they made a happy
exchange, and everybody was more than satisfied.

After this, they were summoned to the dining-room for the feast, and a
merry feast it was. Eliza had used her best skill in the making of dainty
sandwiches and little cakes with pink and white icing. Then there were
jellies and fruits, and, best of all, in Kitty's eyes, most delightful
ice cream. It was in individual shapes, and each child had a duck, or a
chicken, or a flower, or a fruit beautifully modelled and daintily
colored.

The guests went away with a box of treasure under one arm and a Noah's
ark under the other, and they all declared, as they said good-bye, that
it was the nicest party they had ever seen, and they wished the Maynard
children lived at their Grandmother's all the year around.

CHAPTER XI

A CHANCE ACQUAINTANCE

All of the Maynards were sorry when the time came to leave Grandma
Sherwood's. But they had still three weeks of their trip before them, and
many places yet to be visited. Kitty was almost tempted to stay, since
she was coming back in June anyway, and she wasn't quite so fond of
travell