They declared they couldn't guess, and begged her to tell them at once.
"I came to ask you to give me a birthday present."
"Is to-day your birthday?"
And then at their visitor's reply, there was a chorus of:
"Many happy returns, many happy returns."
"Thank you," and Mrs. Armstrong gave them all a very affectionate look. "Now for my present," she went on, smiling. "I want you all to give me the pleasure of your company at tea this evening. It will make me so happy to see your bright, young faces round me. I hear that Katie has an invitation already, so I must not look for her. But I hope Robert will come straight from afternoon school, and I have no doubt Edgar will stay a little while when he calls to take you home. Anyway, you must ask him to do so."
"I cannot come, thank you," said Lancie, and there was a little quiver of pain under the quiet tone in which he spoke. "I went out yesterday, but before I got to the end of the street, I was tired and had to turn back."
"Your mother and I have talked that over, dear," said Mrs. Armstrong, "and you are to come and return in a cab. If you are tired when you get to me, you can lie down on my sofa, and we will draw the tea-table close to you, so that there will be no need for you to move at all. I may expect you, mayn't I, Lancie?"
His answer could be read in the glow of pleasure which flushed his face.
And thus it came to pass that about four o'clock that afternoon, a cab, full of happy, smiling children, drove off from 99, Madeira Street.