had been decided before leaving
home that they were to return on Saturday, and he had had no
intimation of any change of plan.

Friday morning he awoke with the thought, "this is the last day."
However, Willy was a child, and, in the morning, a day still looked
interminable to him, especially when there were good times looming up
in it. To-day he expected to take a very long ride with uncle Frank,
who was going to Keene to buy a new horse.

"I want Willy to go with me, to help pick him out," he told Grandma
Stockton, and Willy took it in serious earnest. They were going to
carry lunch and be gone all day. This promised pleasure looked so big
to the boy, as he became wider awake, that he could see nothing at all
beyond it, not even the sad departure and end of this delightful visit
on the morrow. So he went down to breakfast as happy as ever.

"That boy certainly looks better," Grandpa Stockton remarked, as the
coffee was being poured.

"We must have him weighed before he goes home," Grandma said, beaming
at him.

"That's one thing I thought of, 'bout stayin' a week longer," Grandpa
went on. "It seems to be doin' Sonny, here, so much good." Grandpa had
a very slow, deliberate way of speaking.

Willy laid down his spoon and stared at him, but he said nothing.

"I don't see what you were thinking of not to plan to stay longer in
the first place," said aunt Annie. "I don't like it much." She made
believe to pout her pretty lips.

"Well," said uncle Frank, "I'll send for that coat right away this
morning, so you'll be sure to get it to-morrow night."

"Yes," said Grandpa, "I'd like to hev it to wear to meetin'. Mother
thinks my old one ain't just fit."

"No, it ain't," spoke up Grandma. "It does well enough when you're at
home, where folks know you, but it's different among strangers. An'
you've got to have it next week, anyhow."

Willy looked up at his grandmother. "Grandma," said he tremblingly,
"ain't we going home to-morrow?"

"Why, bless the child!" said she. "I forgot he didn't know. We talked
about it last night after he'd gone to bed."

Then she explained. They were going to stay another week. Next week
Wednesday, Grandpa and Grandma Perry had been married twenty-five
years, and they were going to have a silver wedding. So they were
going to remain and be present at it, and Grandpa was going to send
for his best coat to wear.

Willy looked so radiant that they all laughed, and uncle Frank said he
w