gy pocket a
ball of stout twine, and showed the children how to bind it all together
and pull it along after them. He was the most delightful person to go
out with. Miss Grey sometimes said "Not so much noise Nancy," or,
"Remember you are a young lady;" but on this occasion Nancy made as much
noise as she liked, scrambled about among the bushes, tore her frock,
and enjoyed herself to the full.

The children went to bed happy in the thought that in spite of Andrew
there was a big bundle of ever-greens in the barn, and that nothing
would be wanting to the triumphant arch on Monday.

Very early in the morning it was all ready, and they stood round the
white gate looking up at it with some pride, but also a little doubt.

"Doesn't it look rather wobbly?" said Nancy. "I thought pea-sticks
wouldn't be strong enough, but Andrew wouldn't let us have anything
else."

The ever-greens had been tied on with such a generous hand that their
weight seemed a little too much for the triumphant arch, so that it
trembled gently in the wind.

"Suppose," said Ambrose, "that it should fall just as father and mother
drive through. And I don't believe," he added, "that Andrew, on the
box, with his tall hat on, will be able to drive through without
touching the top."

This seemed so likely, and was such an awful thought, that the children
were silent for a moment. If Andrew's tall hat did knock against the
arch it would certainly fall, and perhaps hurt the whole party.

"We must tell him to be sure to bend his head," said Pennie at last, "or
it would be still better if he would take off his hat, but I'm afraid he
wouldn't do that."

"Well, anyhow," said Nancy, "we can't alter it now, because we've got
all the house to do. We must just leave it to chance."

Nancy was fond of leaving things to chance, and though this was a more
serious matter than usual, the children at last agreed that there was
nothing else to be done. The rest of the morning was spent in putting
ivy and holly wherever it could be put, especially on the staircase
leading up to the museum. David with his hammer nailed up wreaths and
sprays as fast as Pennie and Nancy could make them, till the bare white
walls were almost covered and had a very fine effect.

Ambrose meanwhile had shut himself into the school-room to carry out
what he hoped would be the best idea of all. He wanted to draw the two
first letters of his mother's name, MH, on cardboard, which were