.

"I like him 'heaps' myself!" she cried. "Come on children, we will go
tell him so."

Terry and Alice ran, but Elnora had to suit her steps to Little
Brother, who was her loyal esquire, and would have been heartbroken over
desertion and insulted at being carried. He was rather dragged, but he
was arriving, and the emergency was great, he could see that.

"She's coming!" shouted Alice.

"She's going to be the doctor!" cried Terry.

"She looked just like she'd seen angels when she read the letter,"
explained Alice.

"She likes you 'heaps!' She said so!" danced Terry. "Be waiting! Here
she is!"

Elnora helped Little Brother up the steps, then deserted him and came at
a rush. The stranger-person stood holding out trembling arms.

"Are you sure, at last, runaway?" asked Philip Ammon.

"Perfectly sure!" cried Elnora.

"Will you marry me now?"

"This instant! That is, any time after the noon boat comes in."

"Why such unnecessary delay?" demanded Ammon.

"It is almost September," explained Elnora. "I sent for mother three
days ago. We must wait until she comes, and we either have to send for
Uncle Wesley and Aunt Margaret, or go to them. I couldn't possibly be
married properly without those dear people."

"We will send," decided Ammon. "The trip will be a treat for them.
O'More, would you get off a message at once?"

Every one met the noon boat. They went in the motor because Philip was
too weak to walk so far. As soon as people could be distinguished at all
Elnora and Philip sighted an erect figure, with a head like a snowdrift.
When the gang-plank fell the first person across it was a lean,
red-haired boy of eleven, carrying a violin in one hand and an enormous
bouquet of yellow marigolds and purple asters in the other. He was
beaming with broad smiles until he saw Philip. Then his expression
changed.

"Aw, say!" he exclaimed reproachfully. "I bet you Aunt Margaret is
right. He is going to be your beau!"

Elnora stooped to kiss Billy as she caught her mother.

"There, there!" cried Mrs. Comstock. "Don't knock my headgear into my
eye. I'm not sure I've got either hat or hair. The wind blew like bizzem
coming up the river."

She shook out her skirts, straightened her hat, and came forward to meet
Philip, who took her into his arms and kissed her repeatedly. Then he
passed her along to Freckles and the Angel to whom her greetings were
mingled with scolding and laughter over her wind-blown hair.

"No