with Dobbin or
Jacko?"

"No; they will have plenty to do this evening, and why should I give
them double work, poor dears? No; I came back with these," she pushed
out her dainty, but very dusty, feet as she spoke.

"You mean that you _walked_?" said Nell. "You walked all that long way
just because of us two children that you knew nothing about. I didn't
believe it was true. I never believed anything so perfectly splendid
could be true out of a story book. Boris, do you hear? She walked from
Friar's Wood all by herself."

"Are you awfully dead beat?" asked Boris, standing in his sturdy
attitude in front of Annie and looking at her with immense attention.

"Yes; I never was hotter in my life, and I don't think I ever felt more
tired. It is such a blazing day."

"Then you don't want to walk back again?"

"Well, I suppose I must, only I think I'll rest a little bit first, and
perhaps one of you can bring me a glass of water. I consulted Kitty
about it, and Kitty said you could ride your brother's bicycle, Boris.
She only told me about Nell just when I was starting, but perhaps Nell
can get on the bicycle sometimes, too. I'm not quite sure how it can be
managed."

"You need not trouble about me," said Nell, "for I'm not going to the
picnic. I don't wish to."

"And I don't wish to either," said Boris; "there's nothing to go for
now, for dinner will be over. I always think the fun of a picnic is
washing the potatoes and lighting the bonfire, and they'll be all over
long ago."

"Well, then," said Annie, "I see that I have made myself a martyr in an
unnecessary cause. You bad children, you are not a bit unhappy at
staying at home, and I pictured you both such miserable little victims."

"Would you rather have seen us miserable?" asked Boris.

"Of course I'd much rather have seen you miserable, you little wretch.
How dare you look at me with those smiling, bright blue eyes? If I had
seen you and Nell pale and wretched, and a little bit withered up, I'd
have felt that my walk had been taken for a good purpose; but now----"

"Perhaps you think," said Nell, looking at Annie with great earnestness,
"that you did nothing when you took that walk and when you made the
story books come true. You did a great deal for me. We are Lorrimers,
Boris and I, and it isn't the fashion for a Lorrimer ever to fret when
things can't be helped. Boris would have liked to go to the picnic, and
I'd have liked it, too, if it had happened o