leaved pumpkins and vegetable marrow plants to see who would first
clamber over the wall, the red tomatoes laughing through the greenery at
the fun.

But there was little amusement for Cissy in all this at such a period of
expectancy, when her pulses throbbed with excitement; so, she turned
back towards the house with a yawn, uttering her longing wish aloud,
"Why can't Teddy come?"

It being summer time, all the doors and windows were wide open to let in
all the air possible, and as she retraced her steps slowly and
disconsolately from the bottom of the garden at the back she heard a
noise in front like the sound of wheels in the lane.

To dart through the side gate instead of returning by way of the kitchen
was the work of a moment; and she reached the front of the house almost
as soon as Conny and Liz, who had only to step out on to the smooth turf
from the low French windows of the drawing-room.

It was only a false alarm, though, Doctor Jolly having driven up from
visiting a patient to know when the travellers were expected.

"By the three o'clock train, eh?" he said on being told; then looking at
his watch he added: "Why, it's close on two now. Any of you going down
to the station to meet them?"

"Yes," answered Miss Conny in her prim way, "I was thinking of taking
the children, if you do not consider it too warm to venture out in the
heat of the sun? Poor papa is not so well to-day and unable to walk so
far."

"Pooh, pooh!" ejaculated the doctor, with his hearty laugh. "Call this
fine day too warm; you ought to be ashamed of yourself! You need not
any of you walk. Go and put on your bonnets, and tell the vicar, and
I'll cram you all into my old shanderadan and drive you down."

The Reverend Mr Vernon, however, besides suffering from one of his
usual nervous headaches, which always came on when he was excited by
anything as he was now, wished to be alone on first meeting with his
lost son again, so that none might witness his emotion, being a
particularly shy man amongst strangers; so, although he came out of his
study on hearing Doctor Jolly's voice he begged him to excuse his going,
while accepting his kind offer for the girls--who were ready in less
than no time, Miss Conny losing her primness in her anxiety not to keep
the doctor waiting, and the generally slow Liz being for once quick in
her movements.

In another minute they were all packed within the hybrid vehicle, half
gig, half wagonette,