"Maybe Mrs. Boyd would give us each one, that would leave one for her,"
Patience suggested cheerfully.
"I imagine mother would have something to say to that," Pauline told her. "Was Josie over yesterday, Hilary?"
Hilary nodded. "In the morning."
As they were going back to the house, they met Mr. Boyd, on his way to pay his regular weekly visit to the far pasture.
"Going to salt the colts?" Patience asked. "Please, mayn't I come?"
"There won't be time, Patience," Pauline said.
"Not time!" Mr. Boyd objected, "I'll be back to supper, and you girls are going to stay to supper." He carried Patience off with him, declaring that he wasn't sure he should let her go home at all, he meant to keep her altogether some day, and why not to-night?
"Oh, I couldn't stay to-night," the child assured him earnestly. "Of course, I couldn't ever stay for always, but by'n'by, when—there isn't so much going on at home—there's such a lot of things keep happening at home now, only don't tell Hilary, please—maybe, I could come make you a truly visit."
Indoors, Pauline and Hilary found Mrs. Boyd down-stairs again from her nap. "You ain't come after Hilary?" she questioned anxiously.
"Only to see her," Pauline answered, and while she helped Mrs. Boyd get supper, she confided to her the story of Uncle Paul's letter and the plans already under way.