"That isn't polite," reproved Meg quickly. "You must be glad to see
company whether they bring you things or not."

"There she is!" Dot stood up in the car and pointed. "Aunt Polly!"

"Aunt Polly!" shouted the three other little Blossoms loudly.

CHAPTER III

AUNT POLLY

Aunt Polly was short and stout with merry blue eyes and curly dark
hair that, where it showed under her pretty hat brim, was just touched
with gray.

"Hello, Blessings!" she greeted the children, as they spilled out of
the car to meet her. "Every one of you here? That's fine. How do you
do, Sam? I've two bags there on the platform, if you will get them."

When they were all stowed away in the car, Sam put the bags in the
front where he and Bobby sat, and backed the car out of the station
driveway.

"Well, have you decided to come home with me?" Aunt Polly put the
question to them bluntly.

The four little Blossoms glanced uncertainly at each other.

"Polly Hayward," said Mother Blossom gayly, "you know perfectly well
no one could get four children ready to take a journey in three days.
Why, Dot has absolutely nothing to wear!"

"Oh, I'll lend her something," smiled Aunt Polly.

The children laughed at the idea of Auntie lending any dress of hers
to small Dot.

"We'll fix it somehow," declared Aunt Polly comfortably. "I simply
have to have those youngsters for a visit at Brookside. We're all
getting so fat and lazy with no one to stir us up. Even the dog and
cat need rousing."

"We have a dog, Aunt Polly," announced Meg, her eyes shining. "His
name is Philip."

Before she had a chance to describe Philip the car reached the Blossom
house and stopped at the side door.

"Here I am again, Norah," said Aunt Polly, as Norah came out to
receive her.

"And 'tis glad I am to see ye, Mrs. Hayward," responded Norah
heartily. "I'll take the bags, Sam. The guest room's all ready,
ma'am."

The four children went as far as the guest-room door with Aunt Polly,
and then Mother Blossom waved them back.

"Auntie and I have a great deal to talk over," she said. "You run away
and amuse yourselves till lunch time, like good little Blossoms."

"Wait till I give them what I've brought them," hastily interposed
Aunt Polly. "Bobby, you open that black bag and the four parcels on
top are for you children."

Bobby opened the bag and took out four packages neatly wrapped in
paper and tied with cord.

"How'll we know which is which?" he asked.