"Wery well, Miss Polly Gardner, here's your letter. But if your mar hadn't put 'In haste' on the outside of it, you would have had to come and fetch it yourself," said Mr. Ward, as he handed the letter down to Polly.
"Thank you ever so much," said Polly, tearing her letter open nervously. After reading it once, she said "Oh!" in a delighted voice.
"Nothing the matter?" inquired Mr. Ward, who still sat looking at Polly.
"No; but mother and father are coming to-day, if this is the 24th of August."
"Yes, it's the 24th. But let's see your letter, and I can tell you what they mean."
Polly handed her letter back to Mr. Ward, who read it aloud slowly:
"'Dearest Polly,—Papa finds he can leave his business for a short time, so we have concluded to spend the remainder of your vacation with you and Aunt Mary. We shall take the train that reaches Willow Grove at 4.30 p. m. on the 24th. Tell Aunt Mary to meet us if she has time.
"'Love to all, and a thousand kisses from
"'Mamma and Papa.'
"Well," said Mr. Ward, as he gave Polly back her letter, "they'll be here in about a half-hour, for it's almost four now. I guess I'll be moving; it's time I was back to the store." So he chirped to his horse, turned the wagon, and was soon out of sight.
As Aunt Mary would not return before five o'clock, Polly determined to walk down to the railroad station, and meet her father and mother alone. She had often been there with Aunt Mary to watch the trains come and go. It was a small station, and very few people stopped there.