But though Katy’s heart bounded at the thought of home till she could hardly bear the gladness, she owned to Clover,—­“Do you know, much as I long to get away, I am half sorry to go!  It is parting with something which we shall never have any more.  Home is lovely, and I would rather be there than anywhere else; but, if you and I live to be a hundred, we shall never be girls at boarding-school again.”

CHAPTER XIII.  PARADISE REGAINED.

“Only seven days more to cross off,” said Clover, drawing her pencil through one of the squares on the diagram pinned beside her looking-glass, “seven more, and then—­oh, joy!—­papa will be here, and we shall start for home.”

She was interrupted by the entrance of Katy, holding a letter and looking pale and aggrieved.

“Oh, Clover,” she cried, “just listen to this!  Papa can’t come for us.  Isn’t it too bad?” And she read:—­

“Burnet, March 20.

“My dear Girls,—­I find that it will not be possible for me to come for you next week, as I intended.  Several people are severely ill, and old Mrs. Barlow struck down suddenly with paralysis, so I cannot leave.  I am sorry, and so will you be; but there is no help for it.  Fortunately, Mrs. Hall has just heard that some friends of hers are coming westward with their family, and she has written to ask them to take charge of you.  The drawback to this plan is, that you will have to travel alone as far as Albany, where Mr. Peters (Mrs. Hall’s friend) will meet you.  I have written to ask Mr. Page to put you on the train, and under the care of the conductor, on Tuesday morning.  I hope you will get through without embarassment.  Mr. Peters will be at the station in Albany to receive you; or, if any thing should hinder him, you are to drive at once to the Delavan House where they are staying.  I enclose a check for your journey.  If Dorry were five years older, I should send him after you.

“The children are most impatient to have you back.  Miss Finch has been suddenly called away by the illness of her sister-in-law, so Elsie is keeping house till you return.

“God bless you, my dear daughters, and send you safe.

“Yours affectionately,
P. Carr.”

“Oh, dear!” said Clover, with her lip trembling, “now papa won’t see Rosy.”

“No,” said Katy, “and Rosy and Louisa and the rest won’t see him.  That is the worst of all.  I wanted them to so much.  And just think how dismal it will be to travel with people we don’t know.  It’s too, too bad, I declare.”

“I do think old Mrs. Barlow might have put off being ill just one week longer,” grumbled Clover.  “It takes away half the pleasure of going home.”

The girls might be excused for being cross, for this was a great disappointment.  There was no help for it, however, as papa said.  They could only sigh and submit.  But the journey, to which they had looked forward so much, was no longer thought of as a pleasure, only a disagreeable necessity, something which must be endured in order that they might reach home.