Nancy looked quickly at him with a gleam of hope in her eyes.
“If,” she began, “someone could go with us—” She stopped, but the rest of the sentence was written on her face, and Dr Budge understood as well as though she had spoken it.
He nodded gravely.
“If Miss Grey gives leave,” he said, “you can meet me at two o’clock at the corner of the road. And, of course, the boys are to come too.”
“And Pennie,” added Nancy. In her excitement she stood up on the bar of the gate as though she meant to fling herself upon the doctor’s neck, but checking this impulse she climbed down and held out her hand to him.
“Thank you tremendously,” she said very earnestly. “Miss Grey will be sure to let us go with you.”
In this way the doctor proved himself a friend in need for the second time, and now Nancy and Pennie were loud in his praise as well as the boys. He knew so much about everything, as well as about Latin and Greek and museums. Where to find the best sort of ivy, how much would be wanted for the arch, and finally, how to get the bundle of ever-greens down the hill. He even produced out of one baggy pocket a ball of stout twine, and showed the children how to bind it all together and pull it along after them. He was the most delightful person to go out with. Miss Grey sometimes said “Not so much noise Nancy,” or, “Remember you are a young lady;” but on this occasion Nancy made as much noise as she liked, scrambled about among the bushes, tore her frock, and enjoyed herself to the full.
The children went to bed happy in the thought that in spite of Andrew there was a big bundle of ever-greens in the barn, and that nothing would be wanting to the triumphant arch on Monday.
Very early in the morning it was all ready, and they stood round the white gate looking up at it with some pride, but also a little doubt.