"Oh, we have had such a lovely time," but Faith catching sight of her mother's wan face, stopped abruptly. "Aren't you feeling so well, mummy? --are you faint? Have you had anything since we have been gone?" Audrey sprang up with a cry of dismay and flew from the room. "It is too late now, dear," said the invalid feebly, but Audrey did not hear her. "It is too late now," called Faith, rushing after her. "I will make her some Benger----" Their footsteps and voices died away. "Oh, what a pity!" sighed Deborah, "we've got such a lot to tell, and we wanted you to be well enough to listen, mother." "We've had quite an advencher," cried Tom, his eyes wide with excitement, "and father asked them to supper----" "But you mustn't tell," interrupted Debby reprovingly, "not till Faith comes. It wouldn't be fair--and Audrey too, 'cause it's Audrey that knows them." Mrs. Carlyle beckoned Debby to her side. "Run down, darling, and tell Faith not to make me any Benger, it takes so long, and I don't want her to stay now. I will have some jelly instead, and a slice of bread. Tell her to come quickly, and Audrey too. I am longing to hear about your 'advencher.'" Mrs. Carlyle kissed her little daughter very tenderly. She loved to have them come to her with all their little joys and woes. It was one of the chief pleasures of her slowly returning health. In a very short time Debby came racing back again, a plate in her hand with a slice of bread on it. "It's all right," she cried triumphantly, "it hasn't fell'd, I put my thumb on it so's it shouldn't!" Mrs. Carlyle smiled to herself. "I hope it was a nice clean thumb," she said gently. "Another time, dear, it will be better to walk more slowly, for you should never put your finger on another person's food." "Oh!" Debby looked disappointed. "But it was such a safe way, mummy, it never fell'd once. Audrey and Faith were so slow. Faith was dusting a tray and Audrey was turning out all the drawers looking for a tray-cloth to put on it, and--and I couldn't wait. I wanted you to hear all about who we've seen--oh, here they are at last!" They had evidently been successful in finding a cloth of some kind, for Audrey came in carrying a neatly laid tray, with a plate of jelly on it, a spoon, and a table-napkin; while Faith walked behind, her face beaming with triumph. "Doesn't that look tempting, mother?" "Indeed it does! and what a luxury to have the table-napkin remembered. Is that Audrey's doing?" "Yes--and oh, Audrey, I've been longing all this time to tell you. What _do_ you think--we've met some friends of yours. There were strangers in church--I didn't know them, but father and Debby and Tom did--at least they recognised them, and after service was over they were standing about in the churchyard as if they were looking for someone--and it was you! And who do you think they were?"