his is No. 27," said he, opening the door of the carriage, "shall I
ring?"

"Yes, do," replied Mr. Garie; but whilst he was endeavouring to open the
gate of the little garden in front, Caddy, who had heard the carriage stop,
bounded out to welcome them. "This is Mr. Garie, I suppose," said she, as
he alighted.

"Yes, I am; and you, I suppose, are the daughter of Mr. Ellis?"

"Yes, sir; I'm sorry mother is not here to welcome you; she was here until
very late last night expecting your arrival, and was here again this
morning," said Caddy, taking at the same time one of the little carpet
bags. "Give me the little girl, I can take care of her too," she continued;
and with little Em on one arm and the carpet bag on the other, she led the
way into the house.

"We did not make up any fire," said she, "the weather is very warm to us. I
don't know how it may feel to you, though."

"It is a little chilly," replied Mrs. Garie, as she sat down upon the sofa,
and looked round the room with a smile of pleasure, and added, "All this
place wants, to make it the most bewitching of rooms, is a little fire."

Caddy hurried the new servants from place to place remorselessly, and set
them to prepare the table and get the things ready for tea. She waylaid a
party of labourers, who chanced to be coming that way, and hired them to
carry all the luggage upstairs--had the desired fire made--mixed up some
corn-bread, and had tea on the table in a twinkling. They all ate very
heartily, and Caddy was greatly praised for her activity.

"You are quite a housekeeper," said Mrs. Garie to Caddy. "Do you like it?"

"Oh, yes," she replied. "I see to the house at home almost entirely; mother
and Esther are so much engaged in sewing, that they are glad enough to
leave it in my hands, and I'd much rather do that than sew."

"I hope," said Mrs. Garie, "that your mother will permit you to remain with
us until we get entirely settled."

"I know she will," confidently replied Caddy. "She will be up here in the
morning. She will know you have arrived by my not having gone home this
evening."

The children had now fallen asleep with their heads in close proximity to
their plates, and Mrs. Garie declared that she felt very much fatigued and
slightly indisposed, and thought the sooner she retired the better it would
be for her. She accordingly went up to the room, which she had already seen
and greatly admired, and was soon in the land of dreams.

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