aintaining a proper position in the rear
of their captain who was quietly escorting Mrs. Derrick over the
meadows, no sooner did the whole band come in sight of the distant
place of lunch baskets, than it became manifest for the hundred
thousandth lime that liberty too long enjoyed leads to license.
Scattering a little from the direct line of march, the better to cover
their purpose or evade any check thereto, as if by concert, first one
and then another set off on a run,--sprang the orchard fence,--and by
the time the mid-orchard was reached all of Mr. Linden's force with the
exception of one or two of the very steadiest, were ahead of him and
straining in full run, if not in full cry, for the now near-at-hand
farmhouse quarry. Beyond all call or hindrance. Standing at the kitchen
door, Faith watched their coming; but discerning beyond the runners the
one or two figures that did not indeed 'bring up the rear' but that
covered it, and supposing that the invaders' object was to storm the
wagon in which the lunch baskets were hid, she stood her ground; till
she perceived that the foremost of the band were making straight for
the kitchen door, and all the rest in their order. Faith gave back a
little and the whole horde poured in. The fire was in a brisk blaze;
the table had nice white cups and naperies on it; the nose of the
coffee-pot was steaming. It looked altogether an inviting place. Down
went hats and caps on the floor, from some of the party, and the whole
of them with flushed faces and open mouths took the survey.

"Ain't it jolly here!"

"I wonder if he'll let us take our dinner in here. There's lots o'
room."

"It's good shady."

"It's a long sight better under the trees."

"Coffee!--I'm blessed!"--said a fifth speaker bending over the
fireplace; while a sixth began slyly to inspect what lay under Faith's
napkins on the table.

"Charley," said Mr. Linden's quiet voice from the doorway, "did Miss
Derrick desire you to uncover her dishes?"

The hand slipped from what it touched, as stealthily the boy's eye went
to the face of the speaker, in the one place if not in the other 'to
see what there might be.'

"I will bear witness that you have 'carried' the house," Mr. Linden
went on,--"now I should like to see you carry the wagon. It will be a
more useful enterprise than this. Only remember that one of the first
duties of a surprise party is to go forth softly."

"Where will we carry the wagon to, sir?" i