“Well! well! I'll send word over to Burchard's orchard; that's all that's needed, isn't it?”
“And who will you send, I'd like to know?”
It seemed to Mrs. Murray as though the captain might offer his own services for such an all-important matter as this preserving.
“Couldn't the children drive over for them?” asked Sister
Julia, who always endeavoured to make things as comfortable as possible for everybody.
“The very thing!” Regie exclaimed.
“Oh! do let us go, father,” cried. Harry and Nan together.
“Of course you can go,” answered Captain Murray, only too willing to give a permission that freed him from any responsibility in the matter.
To be allowed to go by themselves all the way to Burchard's orchard seemed quite an adventure in the eyes of the children, and they were anxious to be off but certain things must needs be first attended to. Nan had various little indoor duties, which kept her busy for a while every morning, and Harry had regular morning work in the neighbourhood of the wood pile. As for Regie, Sister Julia said, kindly but firmly, that “he could not stir a step till he had written a letter to Papa Fairfax.” Harry soon succeeded in finishing his task, and hurried out to the barn, as he thought, to help the man, Joe, to put Pet into the harness. What was his disappointment to find the barn empty. He knew in a moment that Joe must have taken him to be shod, for ponies, as well as little people, seem to need shoeing very often, and he rushed back to the house in a great state of excitement.
Regie was struggling with his letter, with Sister Julia sitting by as an authority in the matter of spelling.