doctor shook his head, smiling, "That remains to be discovered."

"For the love o' goodness, Miss Julia!" Sarah implored; "the nexest time
you sets out to give a party for that there young-un, I hopes and prays
you stays home to sup'intend the obsequies youself!"

The doctor turned to send Sam on to the barn.

"Gingham aprons," Miss Kirby murmured.

"Ain't Miss P'tricia done 'tire herself in one for the 'casion!" Sarah
exclaimed; "and ain't she done tell all the others over that 'phone
to do the very same--I ain't never held with thet there 'phone,
nohow--'tain't nothin' better'n devilment, anyhow. My sakes, such
doings, Marse Doctor! You and Miss Julia just come cast your glance
over this supper table!"

They followed her into the dining-room.

"It certainly looks very pretty," the doctor said, glancing at the
table.

Sarah groaned. "Where's them plates o' sandwiches gone? I ask you that!
Where's them plates o' biscuits gone? I ask you that! Where's the little
cakes, what I iced so pretty, gone? I ask you that! Ain't I done fix
them all in place and then I goes out to call them--ginham aprons--to
come in,--and I done galivant all over the place and all up and down the
street and I ain't seen the least speck o' one o' them--but when I comes
indoors--the party done vanish! And that ain't all--the cherry pie I
done make for you's and Miss Julia's supper done vanish too. But they
ain't got the ice cream--I reckon the freezer was too heavy."

"That at least is something to be thankful for," the doctor said, "there
would probably have been--consequences--had they secured both the cherry
pie and the ice cream."

"And the table looking so stylish," Sarah mourned, "with the flowers and
all the fixings. Where's that plate o' chicken gone? I ask you that!"

"Patrick," Miss Kirby said, "you really must go look that child up! such
behavior is--"

"I'm going," the doctor assured her, and as he went Miss Kirby saw him
put his handkerchief to his eyes more than once.

Through the garden he went, through the orchard. Half-way across the
meadow beyond the orchard he came upon Custard dining at second table,
and too busy to do more than wag a welcome.

A few yards further on stood an old apple tree, and from the top-most
branch came, in Patricia's clear notes:

"'If I could find a higher tree
Farther and farther I should see,
To where the grown-up river slips
Into the sea among the ships.'"

The doctor stoo