There were no other passengers to go in the stage except the Marches: so the driver did not hurry them; and, after they had taken their seats, Jan and Ulrica and Billy and Lucinda all crowded around, saying last words.
Ulrica had brought two great bouquets of purple and white asters and golden-rod, the only flowers that were then in bloom.
"Dese are for you," she said to the children; but, when they reached out their hands to take them, she shook her head, and said: "No, I frow dem: it haf luck to frow dem."
Lucinda had brought a little parcel in which were two knit scarfs, which she had knit herself: one white and one red. The red one was for Rob and the white one for Nelly, she said. They were very pretty. Billy brought a knife for Rob: a capital knife, one with four blades. Rob's face flushed with pleasure.
"Why, Billy," he said, "how'd you know I'd lost my knife?"
"Oh, I found out," said Billy. The truth was, that Billy had walked all the way down to the tents, a few days before, and asked Ralph and Flora if they knew of any thing Rob wanted; and Flora told him how Rob had lost his knife that very day,—had dropped it in the creek, while he was cutting willows to make whistles of. After Billy had given Rob the knife, he pulled out of his pocket a little parcel done up in white paper, and handed it to Nelly, saying:—
"I dunno 's it'll be of any kind o' use to yer; but I thought 'twas kind o' putty."
Nelly opened the paper. It held a queer little scarlet velvet pincushion, in a white ivory frame, which was made so that it could screw on a table.
"Oh, how pretty!" said Nelly. "Thank you, Billy. I'll keep it on my table all winter."
Mr. Kleesman stood behind the others. He smiled and bowed, and said to Mr. March:—