e
whole family there together again."

"And are we going?"

"Yes, I think so."

"The whole family?"

"I think perhaps you and I will go on a day or two ahead and let the
others follow. Celia and the boys can come with your father, who
probably could not get off till Wednesday afternoon. Grandma asks that I
bring my baby with me."

"And that means me," returned Edna, hugging herself. "How long shall we
stay, mother?"

"That depends upon several things which will have to be learned later,
so I can't tell just yet."

Edna danced off to hunt up her brothers that she might tell them the
news. She found them in their little workshop over the stable. Charlie
was making a new box to put in his pigeon house and Frank was watching
him. They had not seen their little sister since Monday for she and her
sister Celia went to school in the city, remaining until the Friday
afternoon of each week.

"Hello!" cried Charlie, looking up. "When did you come?"

"Oh, we've just come, only a few minutes ago, and what do you think is
the news?"

"The Dutch have taken Holland," returned Charlie, hammering away at his
box. "Just hand me that box of nails, Frank, won't you?"

"That's a silly answer," said Edna with contempt.

"Well, if it's news, how did you expect me to know it?"

"I didn't expect you to know it, only to guess."

"Well, I guessed," replied Charlie teasingly. "I suppose it's a foolish
sort of thing; Uncle Justus has grown another hair in his eyebrows or
your friend Dorothy has a new hat."

"It's nothing so unimportant," Edna continued; "for it concerns you
boys, too, but if you don't want to know I'll go up to Dorothy's; she'll
be interested even if she isn't going."

"Going? Where?" cried both boys.

"That's for me to know and for you to find out," retorted Edna,
beginning to scramble down the ladder. Both boys darted after; Charlie
swung himself down ahead of her to the floor below and was ready to grab
her before she reached the last rung. Then there was much laughing,
scrambling, tickling and protesting till at last Edna was compelled to
give up her secret, ending triumphantly with: "And I'm going first with
mother."

"Who said so?" questioned Charlie.

"Mother did. We are to go two or three days ahead of anyone else."

"Oh, well, I don't care," returned Charlie. "There wouldn't be any boys
for me to play with anyhow."

"How many are coming for Thanksgiving?" asked Frank.

"I don't know exactly,"