Robin heard the question and the assenting reply. "Ah, if Miss Clarice could only know the truth about the broken handle!" thought he. "I hate cook for making me so wicked," he said, half aloud, as he went off to the shrubbery for more green boughs. "I never was so unhappy in my life."
And all through that bright birthday there hung a gloom over the boy that he could not shake off; its shadow pressed upon him as he watched the merry groups of people trooping through the gate by Jonathan's cottage, and saw their smiles of satisfaction and delight as the white tent appeared in view. He had scarcely any heart to go home and fetch Corrie and mother, though Miss Clarice had herself told him how glad she should be to see them.
Once more he tried to forget as he watched the bright face of his little crippled sister, and saw that in his mother's eyes the weary look of toil had given place to one of real enjoyment and delight.
"It would break her heart if she only knew how bad I am; if it were not for that, I think I would make up my mind to tell her all."
"Robin does not look a bit glad," said Clarice to Arthur as she ran forward to welcome the trio. "Has Jonathan been scolding him, I wonder?"
"Mountains of cake!" shouted her brother in answer. "Look, Clarice, at the trays going into the tent. They will never eat all that."
It certainly did seem an endless supply.
Nevertheless the trays returned again and again to the house to be replenished, as the happy entertainers went in and out among those seated at the long tables, to see that everybody had plenty and enjoyed themselves.
Milly took especial care of poor little Corrie, and sat beside the basket carriage, holding her plate and cup. She had not forgotten the lesson of unselfishness learned while decking Corrie's fir bough. It had formed a link between the two children, that would never be broken.
A few kindly words were spoken by the master of Oaklands at the close of the feast. He said he hoped they would all remember the greatest birthday that had ever dawned upon this world, the birthday of the King of Glory, without whose presence and blessing no life could be a real true life.