that they were getting amongst the people, some of whom Henry had seen
going to that place three or four hours before. When country people
have a holiday, they like to make the most of it; and very soon they
saw the tents through the trees.

Henry was first, and he looked back to his sisters as if he would have
said, "These are the white things I saw this morning." There were four
tents; they had pointed tops, but were open on the sides; tables were
spread in each of them, and also under the trees in various places
round about; and there sat several musicians on a bank. The people all
about, men and women and children, were like bees swarming about the
tents. There were parties of young people and children who had been
playing and amusing themselves, but they all stood still when they saw
the carriage coming, and the music struck up a fine merry tune to
welcome the little lady.

There were none of the grand people from the house yet come; those that
were there were chiefly the cottagers, but they had all their very best
dresses on, and all the poor children were dressed exactly alike. They
wore dark blue cotton frocks with white tippets, and aprons, and caps.
There were a few persons present, seated in one of the tents, who were
not among the poor. Henry immediately saw Mrs. Burke and her daughters,
for Mrs. Burke smiled kindly at him; the boys were somewhere among the
people.

But though there were so many, there was no fear that the feast would
run short, for the tables were heaped up with bread and butter and
cakes, and fruit, and tea and sugar, and there were pails of milk
standing under the trees, and more bread, and more fruit, and more of
everything. It was settled that when Miss Darwell came, the feast was
to begin.

"Oh!" cried Lucy, "how pleasant everything looks!"

There was not time for any more to be said, for the carriage was
getting close to the tents; it stopped, and Mrs. Colvin and the young
people alighted.

Miss Darwell was received by many smiling faces; every child looked at
her with innocent delight, and the women murmured, "Bless her sweet
face!" And then orders were given that the feast was to begin, and the
people settled themselves on the grass in small parties.

Mrs. Colvin having given Miss Darwell a hint, she went to speak to Mrs.
Burke, and invited her and her daughters to come and assist in serving
the people, and seeing that everyone had as much as they wished.

Kind Mrs. Burke