The House That Grew

most forget about Miss Trevor's present. But as we got close to the Hu

to begin without waiting for you, but I wouldn't. She said she was sure you were having

a, 'I like tea at

have something very interesting to tell you. And you mustn't call them "thos

,' interrupted mamma. 'It will take some time, an

had of course to be given up at the Hut, as there was no nursery to have them in, so Esmé and Denzil did not think five o'clock tea a small affair by any means. And whether it was that the being so very close to th

ting thing you have to tell about, Ida? Has it anything to do with the-our tenants,' he went o

tch-oh yes, a wizard, as you knew mamma and I were there this afternoon, and I began to tell you they were goin

he was in one of those humours that boys have more often than girls, I think-of not showing that he was pleas

n't you?-where is this wonderful chair affair to be kept?' and he looked round the table in a provoking sort of way. 'It won't always b

ges of feeling, was rather vexed with Geordie, who is-or was rather-he has got out of those half-teasin

Don't be afraid, Ida dear. It is a beautiful present.

old both Denny and me

at you couldn't be seen at all, you

garden chair. All the same, Geordie's objection did worry me a little. I kept wondering, when I woke in the n

that, for eight months or so of the year, it would be quite safe outside. For there were also rollers-I don't know exactly what to call them-strips of wood you could roll it on to, to keep the wheels from the damp of the ground, if it was damp, though, as the man said, when

in, and of course he thought there was n

h fitted into the footstool, in the same neat, compact way which everything belonging to it did. Really a very good thi

he wanted to find one, I feel sure. He was in a much cheerier humour this morning, and perhap

as! it was one of the days on which I had to act governess to the little ones. I did not mind Denzil so

n you know that of any one, you can be much less particular with them, can't you? Besides, once h

never saw. If you got her to give her attention, or thought you had, and were feeling quite pleased and even proud of it, as she sat there with her bright eyes fixed on th

rch?' (Geography, I think, came on a Monday morning.) 'I couldn't make

ould explain in the funniest way, that thinking of the sea, which sometimes looks blue and sometimes green

e in with his remark, very

s and things like that in church-never. I think it'd be much better if ladies an

n a terrible fuss about his tie not being knotted u

learn anything so vulgar-"last Sunday as ever

. Is it nonsense, Ida, about men and boys never thinking about their clothes? Geordie can't bear his best hat to be touched, and I've noticed gentlemen, big

just now,' I said, 'or you will neve

g wits once they had started off on an expedition of their own, and I really began to fear

seldom what we vex ourselves about before it happens does come to pass! I suppose th

e chair with Esmé on the stool, and the little table hooked on for their cups and plates. I made tea on a little table in the porch, and Dods and Den handed it out. It was rather a squash, but we didn't mind. Mamma looked so comfortable under the awning, which we had drawn out, as w

all about her movable 'boudoir,' as she called it. She really seemed to have taken a great fancy to it, which I was very pleased at, for of us all-though

think I was telling him the story mamma had told me, of when she was a little girl, and the bathing machine, and papa saving her, and we had walked up a short wa

yet not like one, more like a small omnibus, only all over the top it was bumped out in

at be?' I sa

rd, as the thing slow

he railway van from the station, and yet, if it was travelling pedlars

he stood there gazing before him with an odd expression creeping over his face. He saw-what

is? Oh!' as I suddenly caught sight of a new feature in the mystery, 'I do

about the part that the strange carriage or wa

though there was a twinkle in his eyes, which rather spoilt the solemnity of

it was I

ould h

I remembered our joke about Taisy,-that she meant to astonish us by coming down in a balloon or

it all, almost better than Dods

spoke, 'let's run to meet her. Oh, Taisy, Ta

were two-seemed fairly launched on the side road, and in time to hear an eager voi

g out on the other side to make the driver hear. But she turned, fast enough,

Y WELL GET O

in a minute. Yes, yes-it's I myself! I've come to stay with you, though I have not been invited. And-you'll unde

scarcely speak for laughing. We did not let her get out; she was so packed in, as she said, but we walk

been travelling like this since ten o'clock. No, not quit

d George, 'I should call

myself, though I did not say so; 'I know better. You said sweetly, "Granny, dear, I just must;" and she said, "Well, well, my darling, if you must, you must, I suppose")-'to let me come to Wetherford this morning with her maid, and to meet old Dawson' (the driver) 'there, and come on as you see. I had hard work

wn; I think I was really feeling rather bewildered with th

t laughing a

house, I might as well go back again. But do

ould think of it all. But she need not have done. Mamma understood her so well and trusted h

e the bright look of pleasure which came over her face when she realised that it was Taisy, really Taisy, and

ld,' said sh

k, auntie, look up and see,' and she pointed to the van, which w

ooked complete

coach-houses, where I was poking about with a vague idea that I might find something of the kind to make it possible for me to come to you after all. And I got the coachman to help me. We had it thoroughly dried and aired, and the seats at one side taken out-and a friend of the coachman's, who is a clever carpenter, has

eline know about

in the end she was nearly as excited about it as I was, and she gave me all sorts of things-blankets and pillows and crockery and little curtains. It's just stuffed with things-inside and out-though I brought as

, 'as if we would mind that

s eyes

ted; 'that is no word fo

may you stay?'

me. I have a letter from Granny for you, auntie, explaining her plans. But there's no hurry about that. I want to begin unpacking. And what a

fresh tea for Miss Theresa, which she offered with a face all over smiles, for Taisy was a great favourite of hers. And 'Miss Theresa' drank the

ot to the unpacking of the waggon, though Hoskins