el that this day was to be
different from any other in her past. A sense of something good
impending may have thrilled her poor pulses, though if asked why she
found any particular reason for smiling, and throwing off her yoke
of worry for a brief spell, she could have given no intelligent answer.

Brother Lu bustled up. He seemed very important, indeed.

"Glad to see you, boys," he said, holding out his hand, which Thad
actually seized eagerly; although just a few hours before he had
been telling himself how delighted he would be to form one of a party
of determined fellows who might visit the Hosmer cottage at midnight,
and warn the ex-hobo to clear out of the neighborhood on penalty of
having something decidedly unpleasant happen to him if he refused.
But then that was before Thad had heard the wonderful story which
Hugh unleashed, and fired at him as he sat there gaping and listening
and slyly pinching his thigh so as to learn whether he were awake,
or asleep and dreaming.

"Looks like you folks might be going on a picnic somewhere?" remarked
Hugh, taking his cue from something Brother Lu had said to him before.

"Just what we expect to do, lads," hastily replied the other, with
a wink, when he believed neither of the Hosmers was looking at him.
"You see, this happens to be Tilly's birthday. She hasn't had
a real one for ever so long, and Andrew and me, why, we've fixed
it that she should take a holiday from her drudgery and we'd all
go off for a little lark. Now, perhaps you two would like to keep
us company. How about that, boys? You've been pretty kind to my
sister, and we all feel that you're our good friends. What do you
say about tagging along? In my walks about this section of country,
I've chanced to make a few acquaintances. One of these is managing
a kind of pretty place about two miles away from here; and he suggested
that I fetch my sister and brother-in-law across country today.
He reckoned that they'd kind of enjoy looking over the nest his
employer has bought and fitted up, though he ain't really taken
possession yet. Tilly, tell Hugh and Thad they'll be welcome to
a snack with us at noon. This is a day we all want to remember,
you know. Let tomorrow and dull care look out for themselves.
That's the tramp's motto."

Matilda readily complied, and she meant it from the bottom of her
heart too, for she was becoming very fond of both boys. Doubtless
when she carried the basket back into