With eager questioning Randy asked, “And mother and Aunt Prudence?”

“Oh they’re feelin’ pretty spry now the day’s come fer ye to arrive.  They’re full er preparations fer yer home-comin’, an’—­”

“An’ the big cake has got pink frostin’ on top of it, an’ my dolly has got on her best dress ‘cause she knew you was comin’, an’ I’ve kept askin’ Aunt Prudence all day what time it was, an’ how long it would be ’fore you’d be here, an’ Tabby’s got a ribbon on her neck, an’ the house an’ barn has been painted, an’ the cars an’ engine ride behind our barn now, an’ I guess that’s all,” said Prue, with a sigh, as if regretting that there was so little news.

“Why that is a great deal of news,” said Randy, “how did you remember it all?”

“Oh, I’ve been savin’ it up, purpose to tell you when you comed,” said Prue.

As they drove along the shady road toward home, they passed Jabez Brimblecom who thus accosted Randy:—­

“Wal, wal I’m glad ter see yer home agin, Randy, or must I say Miss Weston, since ye’ve been to Boston?”

“Oh please call me Randy, or I shall think you are a stranger, instead of an old friend.”

“Wal, Randy it is then, an’ glad I be ter hear it.  My wife said when ye went off that she knew ye, an’ that Randy’d be Randy anywhere ’n she’s ’baout right ’s usual.”

Every one whom they met had a word of greeting for Randy, until she exclaimed,

“Oh, it is almost worth while to go away, if everyone is to be so glad of my return.”

“And we’re the gladdest of all,” said Prue.

“Indeed we are,” said Mr. Weston, “an’ now, Randy, do ye see two women at the corner of the wall?  I tell ye, they couldn’t wait ’til ye arrived at the door.”

Mr. Weston stopped Snowfoot, and Randy jumped from the wagon, and running to her mother, threw her arms about her neck.

“O Randy, child, this is the first day of real happiness since ye started fer Boston.  Not but what we’ve gotten on pretty well, but ye left a space, so ter speak, a space that nothin’ could fill.  Well, ye’re here now, an’ we’ll find it easy to be cheerful.”

“And you’re glad to see me, too, Aunt Prudence?” asked Randy, wondering if so dignified a person would like a kiss.

“Glad!” was the answer, “that’s no name fer it,” and she fervently kissed Randy’s cheek.  “I must say, ef ye’d stayed away a week longer yer ma an’ me would been ‘bout ready ter give up housekeepin’.  I tell ye, Randy, we shall all feel nigh on ter giddy, now ye’ve arrived.”

The remarkable sight of Aunt Prudence kissing Randy made a great impression upon Prue.

“If I goed to Boston, Aunt Prudence, would you kiss me when I comed back?” she asked.

“Why bless ye, Prue, I’ll kiss ye now, ‘thout yer havin’ ter go away,” and she did, much to Prue’s delight.

Arrived at the house, Prue exhibited her doll dressed in all her finery, Tabby decorated with a gay ribbon, and was about to drag Randy out to the barn that she might see the new railroad which ran through the pasture lot, when Mrs. Weston suggested that the railroad would be there in the morning and that as Randy had been riding all day it would be far better to wait until the next day to see it.