to be
cut out, covered with ivy leaves, and put over the entrance to the
museum. He could not, however, get it to look quite right, and was so
long about it that the decorations upstairs were nearly finished.

"How are you getting on?" said Nancy, rushing in. You've been long
enough to draw all the alphabet. "Well," she continued, looking over
her brother's shoulder, "the H isn't so bad, but I shouldn't know what
the other's meant for. It looks like a sort of curly insect."

"They're old English letters," said Ambrose proudly.

"Then you'd better have drawn new English ones," said Nancy, "no one
will know what they mean."

"Mother will know," said Ambrose, "she's not a silly little girl like
you."

"I hope she will," replied Nancy, "for it's just dinner-time, and you
can't do any more. I'll help you to stick on the ivy leaves."

Nancy was always good-natured, although she said such tiresome things.

The letters were not quite so plain to read as Ambrose had hoped, when
they were put up over the museum door, but still they had an ornamental
look, and gave a finishing touch to the decorations.

Nothing remained after dinner was over but to wait until four o'clock,
by which time the carriage might be expected to arrive from Nearminster
station. Long before that the children were ready in their places,
standing two on each side of the "triumphant" arch, which nodded proudly
over the white gate.

"They've lost the train, I expect," said Ambrose, "and Andrew's waiting
for the next."

"I sha'n't give them up yet," said Nancy, "because the church clock
hasn't struck four."

"There it is!" exclaimed Ambrose as the first strokes of the hour
sounded deeply from the tower near.

"Now they may be here any minute," said David solemnly, "now, don't let
us forget about Andrew's hat."

But it was yet another quarter of an hour before Ruby's white nose was
seen coming steadily down the road. As it got nearer the excitement at
the gate grew so high that it did not seem likely anyone would think
about Andrew's hat, or of anything beside shouts of welcome, and
exclamations.

"There's Dickie on the box; she's holding the whip. Mother's got baby
on her knee. They've seen us. They've seen the arch, hurrah!"

Now they were quite near, and now it suddenly appeared that one person's
feelings about passing through the "triumphant" arch had not been
considered. This was Ruby. In all his long life he had gone many and