'll take home some cinnamon rock to Aunt Emma," said Bella; "she likes
that better than anything."

At last, with their baskets empty save for their purchases, they proudly
and joyfully turned their faces homewards, delighted in every way with
their day's experiences.

The walk home certainly did seem rather long, far longer than the walk
out, but they were very tired, of course, for they had been on their feet,
with scarcely any rest, since four in the morning. The sun was hot too,
and the road dusty, and such a number of carriages and carts passed them
that the air all the time seemed full of a haze of dust--at least it did
until they had got a couple of miles or so away from Norton. After that
it grew less bustling and much pleasanter. And then by the last
milestone, which was a good mile from May Lane, they found their father
and Margery and Charlie waiting for them.

All their tiredness vanished then in a trice, and the last mile was
covered and home reached almost before they had begun to tell all they had
to say.

It was not much past four o'clock by the time they reached the cottage,
but Aunt Emma had finished all her scrubbing and cleaning, and had tidied
herself, and got tea all spread ready for them, and she actually came out
to meet them, seeming really glad to see them, and when they gave her the
cinnamon rock it was plain to see that she was really pleased that they
had thought of her.

"Now come in and take off your boots, and put on your old slippers to rest
your feet; you must be tired out," she said kindly. They certainly looked
very tired, though they were too excited just then to feel so.

"There's apple-tart for tea," whispered Margery, as she followed Bella
upstairs. "I saw Aunt Emma making it. It's for you and Tom!"

Bella could hardly believe her ears, but when they sat down to table there
was the tart, sure enough; and as they sat there eating and talking over
their adventures and drinking their tea and laughing, Bella thought she
had never known such a perfectly happy, lovely day in all her life before.

And how splendid it was to hear them all exclaim when Bella took out her
purse and counted out on the table the money she had earned that day!
"And there's sixpence owing, and four-pence we spent on buns, that would
make ten-pence more!" she said proudly.

"You must put it in the Savings Bank towards buying your cold frame," said
her father; "and it won't be so very long either b