nto
the quiet open country, and carried Becky towards new scenes and fresh
faces. The children at Fieldside had entreated permission to go and
receive her on her arrival, but this Aunt Katharine would not allow.

"She will be tired, and perhaps rather shy at coming amongst strangers,"
she said; "the fewer people she sees at first the better. Leave her to
Mrs Solace."

So Dennis and Maisie had to content themselves with seeing the wagon
pass through the village, and knowing that Becky was in it. The next
day Tuvvy stopped on his way home to say that she was not much tired,
and doing finely, and Mrs Solace would be glad if Miss Maisie and Master
Dennis would call in to see her. It was most provoking after this, that
quite suddenly, following weeks of fine bright weather, the rain began,
and would not leave off. Day after day one steady downpour: streaming
window-panes, great puddles in the garden paths, grey sky, and wet green
leaves.

"_Isn't_ it unlucky for Becky?" said Maisie, looking out of the
play-room window at the dreary dripping scene. "She won't be able to go
out at all."

"It's unlucky for every one," answered Dennis. "Mr Solace doesn't want
rain with nearly all his hay down."

Maisie's eyes were fixed on the grass-plot beneath the window, where a
company of starlings were busily engaged digging for worms and grubs.

"It isn't unlucky for quite every one," she remarked; "the birds like
it."

"But the worms don't," added Dennis quickly.

Maisie was silent. She had a tender heart, but she disliked worms very
much, and was always filled with disgust and fear when she dug them up
in her little garden. She could not feel quite so sorry for them as she
did for other things in trouble.

"There's one good thing," resumed Dennis, after a little silence, "it
_can't_ go on raining much longer, because of Mrs Solace's strawberry
party. It's certain to clear up in time for that."

Maisie agreed. "But," she added with a sigh, "that's a whole week off,
and I do so want to see how Becky and the kitten are getting on."

Mrs Solace's strawberry party was a yearly entertainment which she
always gave in June, just when the strawberries were ripe, and the
children considered it the very best party in the summer. Others might
be grander: at the vicarage, for instance, there was always a band, and
at the Broadbents' there were glee-singers and ices; but when all
attractions had been counted up, the Manor Far