excitement in his veins made them seem to
dance before his eyes.

Early Saturday morning he was awakened by Mammy's stirring around
outside among the chickens, and instantly he remembered that the
long-looked-for day had come. Somehow, a feeling of expectancy made it
seem different from other days. He wanted it to last just as long as
possible, so he lay there thinking about it, and wondering what would
happen first.

As soon as he was dressed, Mammy sent him to the spring for water. He
was gone some time, for he had a faint hope that the birthday Santa
Claus whom he had met at Miss Hallie's party might come early, and he
spent several minutes looking down the road.

Breakfast was ready when he reached the house, and he set the pail down
in such a hurry that some of the water slopped out on his bare toes. His
wistful eyes scanned the table quickly. There was a better breakfast
than usual--bacon and eggs this morning. There was no napkin on the
table under which some gift might lie in hiding, but remembering Miss
Hallie's other experiences, he pulled out his chair. A little shade of
disappointment crept into his face when he found it empty.

After he had speared a piece of bacon with his two-tined fork, and
landed it safely on his plate, he rolled his eyes around the table. "Did
you know this is my buthday, Mammy?" he asked. "I'm nine yeahs ole
to-day."

"That's so, honey," she answered, cheerfully. "You'se gettin' to be a
big boy now, plenty big enough to keep out o' mischief an' take keer o'
yo' clothes. I'll declare if there isn't anothah hole in yo' shirt this
blessed minute!"

The lecture that followed was not of the gala-day kind, but John Jay
consoled himself by thinking that he would probably have had a cuffing
instead had it happened on any other day.

After breakfast Mammy went away to do a day's scrubbing at Rosehaven.
The children spent most of the morning in watching the road. Every cloud
of dust that tokened an approaching traveller raised a new hope. Many
people went by on horses or in carriages. Once in a while there was a
stray bicycler, but nobody turned in towards the cabin.

After a while, in virtue of its being his especial holiday, John Jay
ordered the smaller children to stay in the yard, while he took a swim
in the pond. But the pleasure did not last long. He could only splash
and paddle around dog-fashion, and the sun burnt his back so badly that
he was glad to get out of the water.