rating the departing conductor, and speaking
his mind in regard to all the railroad officials he could think of. He
pulled himself up long enough to give Polly a hearty welcome; and then
away again he flew in righteous indignation, while Jasper rushed off
into the baggage room with Polly's check.

However, every now and then, turning to look down into the little rosy
face beside him, the old gentleman would burst forth, "Bless me, child!
I'm glad you're here, Polly!--how could the fellow forget when--"

"Oh well, you know," said Polly, with a happy little wriggle under her
brown coat, "I'm here now."

"So you are! so you are!" laughed the old gentleman suddenly; "where can
Jasper be so long."

"They're all in the carriage," answered the boy skipping back. "Now,
father! now Polly!"

He was fairly bubbling over with joy and Mr. King forgot his dudgeon and
joined in the general glee, which soon became so great that travellers
gave many a glance at the merry trio who bundled away to Thomas and the
waiting grays.

"You're sure you've got the right check?" asked Mr. King, nervously,
getting into a handsome coach lined with dark green satin, and settling
down among its ample cushions with a sigh of relief.

"Oh yes," laughed Jasper; "Polly didn't have any one else's check, I
guess."

Over through the heart of the city, down narrow, noisy business
streets, out into wide avenues, with handsome stately mansions on either
side--they flew along.

"Oh," said Polly; and then she stopped, and blushed very hard.

"What is it, my dear?" asked Mr. King, kindly.

Polly couldn't speak at first, but when Jasper stopped his merry chat
and begged to know what it was, she turned on him, and burst out, "You
live here?"

"Why, yes," laughed the boy; "why not?"

"Oh!" said Polly again, her cheeks as red as two roses, "it's so
lovely!"

And then the carriage turned in at a brown stone gateway, and winding
up among some fine old trees, stopped before a large, stately residence
that in Polly's eyes seemed like one of the castles of Ben's famous
stories. And then Mr. King got out, and gallantly escorted Polly out,
and up the steps, while Jasper followed with Polly's bag which he
couldn't be persuaded to resign to Thomas. A stiff waiter held the door
open--and then, the rest was only a pleasant, confused jumble of kind
welcoming words, smiling faces, with a background of high spacious
walls, bright pictures, and soft elegant hanging