As they came in sight of the house two well-known figures were leaving the front gate, and the next minute Mark and Ruth had rushed into the arms of their father and mother, and the latter was actually crying for joy.

“It is all your doing, Uncle Christopher,” she said to Mr. Bangs, as soon as she could speak.  “I know it is; for you never in your life have neglected opportunities for giving people joyful surprises.”

“Well, Niece Ellen, I won’t say as I didn’t have a hand in it,” answered the old gentleman, his face beaming with delight.  “But, sakes alive!  Mark Elmer, is this the place that I let you have rent free for ten years?” and he pointed to the pretty house, and swept his hand over the broad fields surrounding it.

“Yes, Uncle Christopher, this is the place.  This is ‘Go Bang,’ as the children have named it, and we welcome you very heartily to it.”

“Well, well,” said Uncle Christopher, mournfully, “what chances I have thrown away in this life! eh, Niece Ellen?”

“You never threw away a chance to do good or make others happy, uncle, I am sure of that.  But now come into the house and get ready for breakfast, which will soon be ready for you.”

As the others went into the house, Ruth ran around to the kitchen to see Aunt Chloe, and so surprised that old woman that she just threw her floury arms about the girl’s neck and kissed her, saying,

“Tank de Lo’d, honey!  Tank de good Lo’d you’s come home ag’in!  We’s all miss yo’ like de sunshine, but nobody hain’t miss yo’ like ole Clo done.”

Mr. March and Jan had gone to Tallahassee the day before, but were to be back that night.

Mrs. Elmer sent Mark down to the schooner to invite Captain May and the Aroostook gentlemen to come to the house for breakfast, but, rather to her relief—­for she was not prepared to entertain so many guests—­they declined her invitation, saying they would breakfast on board, and come to the house to pay their respects later.

How jolly and happy they were at breakfast.  How shy Frank was before Edna, and how many funny things Uncle Christopher did say to make them laugh!  Little by little the “great scheme” was unfolded to the three members of the mill company present who had not heard of it, though Uncle Christopher and Mark had intended to keep it a secret until they could lay it before a regular meeting of the directors.  But, beginning with hints, the whole story was finally told, and Mr. and Mrs. Elmer and Frank were only too glad to sustain President Mark in his promises.  They said they should not only be proud and happy to have the “best uncle in the world” become a member of their company, but that new saw-mill machinery was just what they needed, for they found the present mill already unable to supply the demands upon it for lumber.

While the others were talking business, Ruth and Edna had gone out on the front porch to look at the garden, and now Ruth came back to ask whose house the pretty little new one was that stood just on the edge of the woods to the right.