He drew her into his circling arm and turning her face up to his asked, as he kissed the soft lips.
“And how in kingdom come do you suppose I’m going to get on without your coming to see me often, you torment of my soul. And how do you expect the boys to cover those ten miles between Leslie Manor and Kilton Hall, much less you? And a pretty stir-up it would make if you were to go to their school, wouldn’t it, you huzzy.”
“Why, I’m Athol’s sister, and almost Archie’s too. Why couldn’t I go? We’ll have our horses, of course.”
“Lord bless my soul, are you counting on moving the whole of Woodbine up yonder?” asked the Admiral in dismay.
“Why no, Uncle Athol, but of course we must take Snowdrift, Royal and Apache,” answered Beverly as a matter of course. Whereupon Archie and Athol, standing just behind the Admiral, and Beverly fell upon each other’s necks. Such an idea as taking their horses with them had never for a moment entered the boy’s heads.
“Well, we’ll see; We’ll see,” temporized the old gentleman, “No” seeming to have been left out of the vocabulary he employed in speaking to Beverly.
An hour was spent in discussing the subject pro and con and at its end Admiral Seldon cried:
“Quit running on dead reckoning and tell Mammy Riah to pack our grips, for your mother and I are off on the eight-thirty from Sprucy Branch and that means stepping lively tomorrow morning, Mary. And I want Uncle Abel to understand that the carriage is to be at the door at seven-thirty,—not nine-thirty.”
And so the die was cast. At seven-thirty the following morning the carriage accompanied by the three most interested in what the verdict would be upon its return, sped down the broad driveway, the leaves which had fallen during the night crinkling beneath the wheels, the carriage horses cutting all sorts of antics in sympathy with their saddle companions cavorting beside them, for the young people were acting as body guard.
It was not at all likely that the older people would return that night, for train service was limited, so all preparations were made for an overnight trip.