Thank you, Martha. Oh, here
you are, my dears! Sit down, pray! You must be very hungry after--But
probably you felt the need of resting a little, and to-morrow you will
be quite fresh."

"No, it wasn't that, Cousin Wealthy," said Hildegarde, frankly. "I am
ashamed to say that we were looking out of the window, and the river was
so lovely that we forgot all about supper. Please forgive us this once,
for really we are pretty punctual generally. It is part of Papa's
military code, you know."

"True, my dear, true!" said Miss Wealthy, brightening up at once. "Your
father is very wise. Regular habits are a great privilege, really. Will
you have tea, Hilda dear, or milk?"

"Oh, milk, please!" said Hilda. "I am not to take tea till I am
twenty-one, Cousin Wealthy, nor coffee either."

"And a very good plan," said Miss Wealthy, approvingly. "Milk is the
natural beverage--will you cut that pie, dear, and help Rose, and
yourself?--for the young. When one is older, however, a cup of tea is
very comforting. None for me, thank you, dear. I have my little dish of
milk-toast, but I thought the pie would be just right for you young
people. Martha's pastry is so _very_ light that a small quantity of it
is not injurious."

"Rose!" said Hildegarde, in tones of hushed rapture, "it is a
chicken-pie, and it is all for us. Hold your plate, favored one of the
gods! A river, a boat-house, and chicken-pie! Cousin Wealthy, I am so
glad you asked us to come!"

"Are you, dear?" said Miss Wealthy, looking up placidly from her
milk-toast, "Well, so am I!"

CHAPTER III.

THE ORCHARD.

Next morning, when breakfast was over, Miss Wealthy made a little
speech, giving the two girls the freedom of the place.

"You will find your own way about, my dears," she said. "I will only
give you some general directions. The orchard is to the right, beyond
the garden. There is a pleasant seat there under one of the apple-trees,
where you may like to sit. Beyond that are the woods. On the other side
of the house is the barnyard, and the road goes by to the village. You
will find plenty of flowers all about, and I hope you will amuse
yourselves."

"Oh, indeed we shall, Cousin Wealthy!" cried Hildegarde. "It is delight
enough just to breathe this delicious air and look at the river."

They were sitting on the piazza, from which the lawn sloped down to a
great hedge of Norway fir, just beyond which flowed the broad blue
stream of the Kennebec.