the twins, clinging to the back of the gig!

Miss Lavinia gave a cry of dismay. "Where did you come from, and where
are you going?" she questioned rather sharply. "We went to Martha's, you
know," said Ian, as if his errand had been one of such importance that it
was impossible she should forget it, "and she wasn't there, so we thought
we'd just look for those people we said about, by ourselves. But we
couldn't find anybody, only a shiny black snake by the road, and he
rubber-necked at us and spit some 'fore he ran away. Then we saw
grandpop's horses coming, and when you went by we hooked on, and--"

"'Cause we thought if you was looking for those people and found them,
then we'd be there for the pink ice cream," added Richard, cheerfully,
supplementing Ian's story when his breath gave out.

"I suppose we must turn around and take them home," said Miss Lavinia,
with a sigh.

"Not a bit of it. Let them come with us; it is too late to turn back,
unless," he added, with a ring of mock humility in his tone, "you have
changed your mind and wish time to think. As for me, I've turned my back
on even thinking whether they will be missed or who will worry.

"Scramble in, boys, and curl up here in front. You are just in time; two
of these people you were searching for are going to be married this
afternoon. We are going to the wedding, and you shall be best men," and
the boys settled down, chuckling and whispering, but presently Ian
looked up, as light dawned, and cried: "I spy! It's you, Uncle Martin,
and Aunt Lavinia is your Mrs., only you couldn't find her all summer till
to-day," and he hugged his friend around the legs, which were all he
could reach, but Richard leaned backward until his head rested on Miss
Lavinia's knees, and he reached up his cooing lips to be kissed.

The rest of the ride to town was uneventful, except that when they
reached the outskirts they met Jenks-Smith's coach loaded with Whirlpool
people, but the Lady of the Bluffs saw nothing strange in the
combination, and merely shook her parasol at them, calling, "I'm sorry to
hear you're flitting, just when it's getting lively again, too!"

Fortunately the rector of All Saints' was at home, likewise the requisite
number of his family, for witnesses. Then it transpired that the couple
had never thought of the ring, and while Martin went out to buy one, Miss
Lavinia was left sitting on the edge of a very stiff sofa with a boy on
either side of her, with