“Neither of you shall have any more trouble about getting home,” said Mrs. Burton. “Just sit here quietly while I go and send a carriage for you.”
“Oh!” said Budge. “That’ll be lovely; won’t it, Tod? Ain’t you glad you got hurt? But say? Aunt Alice, haven’t you got any crackers in your pocket?”
“Why, no—certainly not!” exclaimed the lady, temporarily losing her tenderness.
“Oh! I thought you might have. Papa always does, when he goes out to look for us when we stay away from home a good while.”
Suddenly a horse’s hoofs were heard on the road below.
“I shouldn’t wonder if that was Mike,” said Mrs. Burton. “He has been out on horseback, looking for you.”
“I shouldn’t wonder if ’twas papa,” said Budge. “He’s the funniest man for always comin’ anywhere first when we need him most.”
“An’ wif crackers,” Toddie added.
The clattering hoofs came nearer, though slower, and, true to the children’s intuitions, around the bend of the road came Tom Lawrence on horseback, an old army haversack and canteen slung over his shoulder.
“Papa!” shouted both boys. “Hooray!” Tom Lawrence waved his hat, and Toddie shouted, “He’s got de crackers! I see de bag!” The father reined up suddenly and dismounted, Budge rushed to his arms, and Toddie exclaimed,