“Now, what are we to do next?” asked Christie, when the usual morning work was finished.

“In about ten minutes thee will see, I think,” answered Mrs. Sterling, glancing at the clock, and smiling at the bright expectant look in the younger woman’s eyes.

She did see; for in less than ten minutes the rumble of an omnibus was heard, a sound of many voices, and then the whole Wilkins brood came whooping down the lane.  It was good to see Ma Wilkins jog ponderously after in full state and festival array; her bonnet trembling with bows, red roses all over her gown, and a parasol of uncommon brilliancy brandished joyfully in her hand.  It was better still to see her hug Christie, when the latter emerged, flushed and breathless, from the chaos of arms, legs, and chubby faces in which she was lost for several tumultuous moments; and it was best of all to see the good woman place her cherished “bunnit” in the middle of the parlor table as a choice and lovely ornament, administer the family pocket-handkerchief all round, and then settle down with a hearty: 

“Wal, now, Mis Sterlin’, you’ve no idee how tickled we all was when Mr. David came, and told us you was goin’ to have a galy here to-day.  It was so kind of providential, for ’Lisha was invited out to a day’s pleasuring so I could leave jest as wal as not.  The childern’s ben hankerin’ to come the wust kind, and go plummin’ as they did last month, though I told ’em berries was gone weeks ago.  I reelly thought I’d never get ’em here whole, they trained so in that bus.  Wash would go on the step, and kep fallin’ off; Gusty’s hat blew out a winder; them two bad boys tumbled round loose; and dear little Victory set like a lady, only I found she’d got both feet in the basket right atop of the birthday cake, I made a puppose for Christie.”

“It hasn’t hurt it a bit; there was a cloth over it, and I like it all the better for the marks of Totty’s little feet, bless ’em!” and Christie cuddled the culprit with one hand while she revealed the damaged delicacy with the other, wondering inwardly what evil star was always in the ascendant when Mrs. Wilkins made cake.

“Now, my dear, you jest go and have a good frolic with them childern, I’m a goin’ to git dinner, and you a goin’ to play; so we don’t want to see no more of you till the bell rings,” said Mrs. Wilkins pinning up her gown, and “shooing” her brood out of the room, which they entirely filled.

Catching up her hat Christie obeyed, feeling as much like a child as any of the excited six.  The revels that followed no pen can justly record, for Goths and Vandals on the rampage but feebly describes the youthf ul Wilkinses when their spirits effervesced after a month’s bottling up in close home quarters.

David locked the greenhouse door the instant he saw them; and pervaded the premises generally like a most affable but very watchful policeman, for the ravages those innocents committed much afflicted him.  Yet he never had the heart to say a word of reproof, when he saw their raptures over dandelions, the relish with which they devoured fruit, and the good it did the little souls and bodies to enjoy unlimited liberty, green grass, and country air, even for a day.