And she started on her errand, with one backward glance at the lad, as he sat down for a moment on one of the seats scattered about the lawn, and turned his face to the soft, clear air. Above his head the trees were in the beauty of their first tiny leaves, so light and delicate in their unfolding that they looked like a cloud of butterflies lighted on every little twig and stem. And the birds chirped and twittered in all the gladness of the sunshine, rejoicing in the new life about them. The influence of the spring was over them all, and vaguely, in his boy fashion, Fred felt it too. For a moment he went back to a year or two ago, and longed for the old free, happy days; but as he remembered the lonely, dull hours he had spent between the times of his return from Boston and his coming to live at the Carters', his mood brightened again, and he patted the now docile Fuzz, saying cheerfully,—
"It isn't so bad after all, is it, Fuzz?"
And the dog presented his little paw, as if to shake hands, in token of their perfect agreement.
In the meantime Bess had betaken herself to her cousin's, where she was greeted by five eager, curious lads, who, perched on the front fence, were awaiting her coming with loud denunciations of her tardiness.
"I couldn't help it, boys. Fuzz wouldn't let me come any earlier." And, to the merriment of the lads, Bess recounted her experiences of the afternoon, and then asked: "Is aunt Bess at home, Rob?"
"No; but she said tell you to go right in and make yourself at home. Do hurry up, for we're awfully curious and can't stand it another minute." And Rob led the way to their pleasant sitting-room.
"Doesn't Rob know what's up?" asked Phil, as Bess seated herself deliberately, and the boys gathered around her.
"Not a blessed thing," said Bess, disregarding her cousin's winks begging her to keep silence; "only that I told him to have you meet me here this afternoon."
"Oh ho, young lad!" exclaimed Ted, giving his host a sounding thump on the back, "you're a fraud. Here you've been pretending all day you knew what was going on, and you are as much in the dark now as any of us."
"What is it, Miss Bess?" inquired Phil, swinging himself impatiently back and forth in his rocking-chair, as he sat astride of it, with an ankle clasped in either hand. "It's sure to be fun, if you start it."