He accompanied them home and let the little girls ride his horse in turn, he walking by their side and talking to Aunt Alice about many things.
"My Nora is as quiet and steady as a rock," he said; "so you need not be afraid she will run away from you."
"She likes to walk with you, doesn't she?" said observant Hope; "she keeps looking round to see if you are there!"
"Yes, Nora and I are fast friends. We've been twelve years together now."
He insisted upon carrying most of the baskets, and when they reached home Faith hastily whispered something into her Aunt's ear.
She smiled.
"Faith wants to send your father some of these strawberries to taste. What do you think about it?"
"He'll be awfully pleased, of course."
So Faith ran indoors and got a tiny pet basket of her own, and filled it with strawberries. She tied a red ribbon round it, and asked the young man to give it to his father with her "dearest love."
He promised to do so, and then the little girls ran indoors to tell Granny of their happy day.