"Come in!" cried little Dr. Fisher, as she rapped at the office door. "Oh, it's you, Charlotte," with a sigh of relief; "I'm sure I don't feel much like dragging on my boots and going off to the Land's End to-night, on a call."
"Mrs. Fisher thought I ought to come and see you, sir, about getting up a plan to celebrate the home-coming next week," said Charlotte, feeling her heart bounding already with delight. Would they really all be together in a week?
"Now that's something like," exclaimed Dr. Fisher joyfully, and pushing aside with a reckless hand his books and vials on the table; "sit down, do, Charlotte; there," as Charlotte settled her long figure in the opposite chair. "Now then!"
"I never got up a plan to celebrate anything in my life," said
Charlotte, folding her hands in dismay.
"Nor I either," confessed the little doctor in an equal tremor, "Polly was always great at those things. But I suppose that's the reason my wife set us two together, Charlotte, for she's the wisest of women, and perhaps we ought to learn how to get up celebrations."
"If only Phronsie were home," breathed Charlotte wistfully. "I'm so afraid our affair will be worse than nothing."
"I dare say," replied the little doctor cheerily, "but we can try, and that goes a great way, Charlotte—trying does."
[Illustration: "I'VE ALWAYS FOUND," SAID DR. FISHER, "THAT ALL YOU HAD
TO DO TO START A THING, WAS TO BEGIN.">[
Charlotte drew a long breath and moved uneasily in her chair. "If we only knew how to begin," she said at last doubtfully.
"I've always found," said Dr. Fisher, springing from his chair, "that all you had to do to start a thing was to—begin."