"Surely there can be nothing else coming by post! The postman has been laden for you for this week past!"
Before the postman came Ted appeared. He was surrounded in the hall, and a babel of noise enveloped him. Miss Kezia's eyebrows went up, but she smiled a grim little smile of uncomprehending amiability. Ted was wearing his new tie, and valiantly flaunted the pin with which Sheila Pat had presented him.
"Come up to the Stronghold."
On the stairs he hung back and turned to Nell.
"I say, Nell, I haven't half thanked all of you—need I?"
She laughed out.
"You have—heaps and heaps!"
He shook his head.
She looked at him with a worried little frown.
"You've no business to be so grateful for silly little things!"