"We should never think ourselves prepared
at all, in Shampuashuh, if we were not ready for two more than the
party. And the cart will hold us all."

"The cart!" cried the other.

"Yes. O yes! I did not tell you that," said Lois, smiling more broadly.
"We are going in an ox cart. That will be a novel experience for you
too."

If Mrs. Lenox had not half accepted the invitation already, I am not
sure but this intimation would have been too much for her courage.
However, she was an outwardly well-bred woman; that is, like so many
others, well-bred when there was nothing to gain by being otherwise;
and so she excused her hesitation and doubt by the plea of being "so
dusty." There was help for that; Lois took her upstairs to a neat
chamber, and furnished her with water and towels.

It was new experience to the city lady. She took note, half
disdainfully, of the plainness of the room; the painted floor, yellow
and shining, which boasted only one or two little strips of carpet; the
common earthenware toilet-set; the rush-bottomed chairs. On the other
hand, there was an old mahogany dressing bureau; a neat bed; and water
and towels (the latter coarse) were exceedingly fresh and sweet. She
made up her mind to go through with the adventure, and rejoined her
husband with a composed mind.

Lois took them first to the sitting-room, where they were introduced to
Mrs. Barclay, and then they all went out at the back door of the house,
and across a little grassy space, to a gate leading into a lane. Here
stood the cart, in which the rest of the family was already bestowed;
Mrs. Armadale being in an arm-chair with short legs, while Madge and
Charity sat in the straw with which the whole bottom of the cart was
spread. A tall, oldish man, with an ox whip, stood leaning against the
fence and surveying things.

"Are we to go in _there?_" said Mrs. Lenox, with perceptible doubt.

"It's the only carriage we have to offer you," said Lois merrily. "For
your sake, I wish we had a better; for my own, I like nothing so well
as an ox cart. Mrs. Barclay, will you get in? and stimulate this lady's
courage?"

A kitchen chair had been brought out to facilitate the operation; and
Mrs. Barclay stepped lightly in, curled herself down in the soft bed of
straw, and declared that it was very comfortable. With an expression of
face which made Lois and Madge laugh for weeks after when they recalled
it, Mrs. Lenox stepped gingerly in, following, and too