"April fool!" said Emma. And they both laughed at Maud's disappointment.
"But it is not April, brother," said Maud in an aggrieved tone.
"Why, you silly little thing," exclaimed Emma, "I was only in fun. If I were to say, 'Here comes Queen Victoria,' you wouldn't be goose enough to believe it, would you?"
"No; but you see Queen Victoria would not be walking down the street, and I have been expecting Mary every minute;" and Maud's eyes were almost filled with tears.
"Come, puss, don't think any more about it." John put his arm affectionately around his sister's neck. "Emma, what has that man in his wagon?"
They were both looking with great curiosity at the wagon coming toward the house when John heard his father call him.
"In a second, sir," he replied; but sixty seconds passed, and he heard his father again. "Yes, yes, sir, in a minute;" but five minutes were gone before he obeyed, and then he found that his father had left.
"There! you don't know what you missed," Emma said, significantly. "I heard father say he had something in his pocket for somebody."
"It was not for John, you know," interrupted Maud, "for we heard mother say so."
"Well, little telltale, we must be on our p's and q's before you, my darling."