"You shall be happy to-day, then," said Mrs. Burton; "for a few friends will be in to see me this afternoon, and I am going to have a nice little lunch for them, and you shall lunch with us, if you will be very good until then, and keep yourselves clean and neat."
"Aw wight," said Toddie. "Izhn't it most time now?"
"Tod's all stomach," said Budge, with some contempt. "Say, Aunt Alice, I hope you won't forget to have some fruit-cake. That's the kind we like best."
"You'll come home very early, Harry?" asked Mrs. Burton, ignoring her nephew's question.
"By noon, at furthest," said the gentleman. "I only want to see my morning letters, and fill any orders that may be in them."
"What are you coming so early for, Uncle Harry?" asked Budge.
"To take Aunt Alice riding, old boy," said Mr. Burton.
"Oh! just listen, Tod! Won't that be jolly? Uncle Harry's going to take us riding!"
"I said I was going to take your Aunt Alice, Budge," said Mr. Burton.
"I heard you," said Budge, "but that won't trouble us any. She always likes to talk to you better than she does to us. When are we going?"