“Thorny wont; he calls me a ‘botheration,’ and I guess I am,” mourned the unseen culprit, with sincere contrition.

“I’ll ask him; he is always good to me.  They will be here pretty soon, so you’d better come out and be made tidy,” suggested the comforter.

“I never can come out, for every one will hate me,” sobbed Bab among the straw; and she pulled in her foot, as if retiring forever from an outraged world.

“Ma wont, she’s too busy cleaning up; so it’s a good time to come.  Let’s run home, wash our hands, and be all nice when they see us.  I’ll love you, no matter what anybody else does,” said Betty, consoling the poor little sinner, and proposing the sort of repentance most likely to find favor in the eyes of the agitated elders.

“P’r’aps I’d better go home, for Sanch will want his bed,” and Bab gladly availed herself of that excuse to back out of her refuge, a very crumpled, dusty young lady, with a dejected face, and much straw sticking in her hair.

Betty led her sadly away, for she still protested that she never should dare to meet the offended public again; but in fifteen minutes both appeared in fine order and good spirits, and naughty Bab escaped a lecture for the time being, as the train would soon be due.

At the first sound of the car whistle every one turned good-natured as if by magic, and flew to the gate, smiling as if all mishaps were forgiven and forgotten.  Mrs. Moss, however, slipped quietly away, and was the first to greet Miss Celia as the carriage stopped at the entrance of the avenue, so that the luggage might go in by way of the lodge.

“We will walk up and you shall tell us the news as we go, for I see you have some,” said the young lady, in her friendly manner, when Mrs. Moss had given her welcome and paid her respects to the gentleman, who shook hands in a way that convinced her he was indeed what Thorny called him, “regularly jolly,” though he was a minister.

That being exactly what she came for, the good woman told her tidings as rapidly as possible, and the new-comers were so glad to hear of Ben’s happiness they made very light of Bab’s bonfire, though it had come near burning their house down.

“We wont say a word about it, for every one must be happy to-day,” said Mr. George, so kindly that Mrs. Moss felt a load taken off her heart at once.

“Bab was always teasing me for fire-works, but I guess she has had enough for the present.” laughed Thorny, who was gallantly escorting Bab’s mother up the avenue.

“Every one is so kind!  Teacher was out with the children to cheer us as we passed, and here you all are making things pretty for me,” said Miss Celia, smiling with tears in her eyes, as they drew near the great gate, which certainly did present an animated if not an imposing appearance.