further decided that she would
take them all down to New York the day before the steamer was due, so
that they might have the earliest possible glimpse of the family. Was
not all this enough to fill any little girl's cup of bliss to
overflowing?

For once, reality surpassed anticipation. Such excitement for the last
week in packing up; such walks and rows and drives between times; such a
fine number of the "Echo," to wind up with; such a funny farewell
call--laden with all manner of good things--to the old woman, who was
still overcome by the thought that she had seen Miss Cricket; then such
parting hugs and kisses for dear grandma and the children; such
hand-shakings with old Billy, who distributed peppermints like a red and
white snow.

Then came the jolly three days' picnic in the empty house in town. The
three girls thought that they rendered perfectly indispensable aid to
auntie and the maids, in opening the house, getting off holland covers,
and arranging everything, till it was all in apple-pie order for the
homecomers.

Then came the last and loveliest treat,--the delightful trip to New York
in the night boat, and the vast importance of the thought of going to
meet their European travellers. They discussed them, as if they had been
gone ten years, at least. Eunice wondered if she would know Marjorie,
and if Donald's mustache would be as long as papa's, while Cricket was a
little afraid that they might have forgotten how to talk English.

The steamer was not due till late in the afternoon, so that they had the
day before them, and a day crammed with good things it was. Although
they had often been there before, the children immediately voted for
Central Park and the Metropolitan Museum first. Then they visited some
of the great stores, and then lunched at Delmonico's. In the afternoon
they went for a long, lovely ride up Riverside Park, and then, at last,
came the crowning joy of watching the steamer's arrival.

"There's mamma!" shrieked Cricket, regardless of the crowd about her, as
the great steamer swung into her moorings, and in five minutes more
everybody was being rapturously hugged by everybody else.

THE END.

Transcriber's Note:

Variations in spelling and hyphenation, and unexpected spelling found in
the original have been retained.

The following changes have been made in this version:

Punctuation errors have been corrected without comment.

Oe ligatures have been expanded as in Ph