untie in," said the woman.
And for a few minutes she stood at the door straining her eyes after the
two forlorn little figures till she could distinguish them no longer in
the darkness of the trees bordering the avenue. "Who can they be?" she
said to herself. "Such a pretty spoken, old-fashioned little pair I
never did see!"

CHAPTER XI.

HAPPY AND SAD.

"'Tis gone--and in a merry fit
They run upstairs in gamesome race.

* * *

A moment's heaviness they feel,
A sadness at the heart."

_The Mother's Return._

It was very dark in the drive and Carrots crept close to Floss. But
Floss felt far less afraid of the dark than of the light! when at last
the house came in view and the brightly lit up windows shone out into
the gloom.

"Oh, what a big house," said Floss. "Oh Carrots, how I do wish that
little cottage had been auntie's house, even though the door did open
right into the kitchen. Don't you Carrots?"

"I don't know," replied Carrots, "auntie will be very kind to us, won't
she, Floss?"

"Oh yes," said Floss, "but supposing she is having a party to-night,
Carrots?"

"Well, we could have tea in the nursery, and go to bed," said Carrots
philosophically. "Oh Floss, _wouldn't_ you like some nice hot tea and
bread and butter?"

"Poor Carrots," said Floss. And her anxiety to see her little brother in
comfort again gave her courage to ring the bell as loudly as she could.

A manservant opened the door. Very tall and formidable he looked to the
two children, whose eyes were dazzled by the sudden light, after their
long walk in the dusk.

"If you please," said Floss, "is auntie at home?"

The man stared. "_What_ did you say?" he inquired. "Is it a message from
some one?"

"Oh no," said Floss, "it's just that we've come, Carrots and I--will
you please tell auntie? We've walked all the way from the station,
because there was no one to meet us."

The man still stared. He had heard something about a young lady and
gentleman, his mistress's nephew and niece, being expected on a visit,
but his ideas were rather slow. He could not all at once take in that
the dilapidated little couple before him could possibly be the looked
for guests.

But just then another person came upon the scene. A little figure with
bright dark eyes and flying hair came dancing into the hall.

"Who's there, Fletcher?" she said. "Is it the post?"

"No m