was ready for their reception at their summer home, Aunt Ella said that their departure would have to be delayed for a few days, as the delinquent dressmakers had failed to deliver certain articles of wearing apparel.  This argument was, of course, unanswerable, and Quincy devoted the time to visiting the wholesale grocers, as he had promised Strout that he would do, and to buying and shipping a long list of books that Miss Very informed him Miss Pettengill needed for her work.  He learned that during his absence the proofs of The Man Without a Tongue had been brought over by Mr. Ernst and read and corrected, Aunt Ella taking Quincy’s place as reader.

At last all was ready, and on the tenth of May a party of three ladies and one gentleman was driven to the station in time for the one o’clock train.  They had lunched early and the whole party was healthy, happy, and in the best of spirits.  Then came the leave-takings.  The two young ladies and the gentleman sped away upon the train, while the middle-aged lady started for home in her carriage, telling herself a dozen times on the way that she knew she would be lonesomer than ever when she got there.

The trip by train and boat was uneventful.  Alice sat quietly and enjoyed the salt sea breeze, while both Quincy and Rosa entertained her with descriptions of the bits of land and various kinds of sailing craft that came in sight.  It was nearly seven o’clock when the steamer rounded Brant Point.  In a short time it was moored to the wharf, and the party, with their baggage, were conveyed swiftly to Mrs. Gibson’s, that lady having been notified by Quincy to expect them at any moment.  He did not enter the house.  He told Miss Very to address him care of his aunt if they needed anything, and that Mr. Ernst and himself would come down when Miss Pettengill had completed two or three chapters of her book.  Quincy then bade them good-by and was driven to a modest hotel close to the steamboat wharf.  He took the morning boat to Boston, and that afternoon informed Aunt Ella of the safe arrival of his fair charges.

“What are you going to do now?” asked Aunt Ella.

“I’m going to find my father,” replied Quincy, “and through him secure introductions to the other members of my family.”

“Good-by,” said Aunt Ella; “if they don’t treat you well come and stay with me and we will go to Old Orchard together about the first of June.  I never skip out the last of April, because I always enjoy having a talk with the assessor when he comes around in May.”

When Rosa took her seat at the new desk next morning, she exclaimed with delight, “What a nice husband Mr. Sawyer would make!”

“What makes you think so?” inquired Alice gravely.

“Because he’d be such a good hand to go shopping,” Rosa answered.  “I’ve been all over this desk twice and I don’t believe he has forgotten a single thing that we are likely to need.”

“Good work requires good tools,” remarked Alice.