ood humor.

"Why, good mornin', Cap'n," said Thankful. "I--you--you're goin'
somewhere, I should judge."

The captain shook his head. "No," he replied, "I've been. Had an errand
up to the Centre. I knew somethin' was comin' on the mornin' train so I
drove up to fetch it. Thought you wouldn't mind my usin' your horse and
buggy. Imogene knew I was usin' it."

Thankful was surprised. "She did?" she repeated. "That's funny. She
didn't say a word to me."

"No, I told her not to. You see, the--the somethin' I was expectin' was
for you, so I thought we'd make it a little surprise. Emily--Miss Howes,
she sent it."

"Emily--sent somethin' to me?"

"Yup."

"For the land sakes! Well," after a moment, "did it come? Where is it?"

"Oh, yes, it came. It's right there in the buggy. Don't you see it?"

Thankful looked at the buggy. The only thing in it, so far as she could
see, was the little boy on the seat. The little boy grinned.

"Hello, Aunt Thankful," he said. "I've come to stay with you, I have."

Thankful started, stared, and then made a rush for the buggy.

"Georgie Hobbs!" she cried. "You blessed little scamp! Come here to me
this minute. Well, well, well!"

Georgie came and was received with a bear hug and a shower of kisses.

"Well, well!" repeated Thankful. "And to think I didn't know you! I'm
ashamed of myself. And you're the surprise, I suppose. You ARE one, sure
and sartin. How did you get here?"

"I came on the cars," declared Georgie, proudly. "Ma and Emmie put me on
'em and told me to sit right still until I got to Wellmouth Centre and
then get off. And I did, too; didn't I, Mr.--I mean Captain Bangs."

"You bet you did!" agreed the delighted captain. "That's some relation
you've got there, Mrs. Barnes. He's little but Oh my! He and I have had
a good talk on the way down. We got along fust-rate; hey, commodore? The
commodore's agreed to ship second-mate along with me next v'yage I make,
if I ever make one."

Thankful held her "relation"--he was Emily's half-brother and her own
favorite next to Emily herself in that family--at arm's length. "You
blessed little--little mite!" she exclaimed. "So you come 'way down here
all alone just to see your old auntie. Did you ever in your life! And I
suppose you're the 'secret' Emily said she had, the one that was to keep
me from bein' lonesome."

Georgie nodded. "Yes," he said. "Emmie, she's wrote you all about me.
I've got the letter pinned inside of me her