Many parties preferred going by water, but to-day the young people, having had the offer of Mrs. Arundel's pony carriage, determined to be independent of outside help, and were to walk and ride in turns. Mrs. Elliot was to drive, and to take charge of the eatables; and these young country folks thought nothing of the walk, they said, even if their turn did not happen to come for a lift. Before ten o'clock the little Elliots were eagerly looking up the hill towards Fairleigh for the first sight of the pony carriage. Very punctually it was seen descending the steep road, with Nellie and Hope seated in it. Nellie had now been at Shellford nearly a month, and sea breezes and country life had wonderfully improved her. She was no longer the pale London girl, but looked as fresh and rosy as any of them, while there was just that air about her of ease and polish which Maude secretly envied and tried to copy. The girls both got out and went into the cottage to see after Mrs. Elliot and the "supplies," as Wilmot called them. "Mamma," said Hope, "we must consider the hampers quite equal to the weight of one person. We have agreed that only two besides you shall ride at once." "There would not be room either," said Wilmot, coming out with the large hamper, and placing it on the front seat. "Where is what you have brought?" said one of the children to Hope. She laughed, and pointed to the back of the carriage, where two large baskets had been carefully fastened. "Capital," said Wilmot, going behind and inspecting it. "Let us hope they are well fastened; for supposing we should arrive there and find them gone!" "You can walk behind, to make sure," said his little saucy sister. "I daresay," he answered, looking roguishly at her; "and poor Wilmot would have plenty of fun, wouldn't he?" "Oh, I didn't mean it!" she said, relenting, and coming up to him for a kiss. Then there was an amicable squabble as to who should ride first, and it was settled that Nellie and Maude should be the ones chosen. The little carriage soon distanced the walkers, and went quickly up the smooth turnpike-road for a mile or more, when at the appointed place Mrs. Elliot drew up, and they sat still waiting for the others. "We must not let it seem long," she said, "for they cannot be here for at least ten minutes." So they filled up the time by a pleasant little talk; and Nellie told Mrs. Elliot what she had never yet heard—about Christina's Orphanage. "Is she happy in it?" she asked presently. "Really happy?" "I believe she is; I never saw anyone more tranquilly and uninterruptedly happy." "I have heard that she has passed through great sorrows?" "Very great indeed; but I hope brighter days will come. You know Walter will be back in less than two years." "Two years!" said Maude. "That seems an age." "So it does," answered Nellie; "but not so bad as three." "Why, of course not; but I should always be afraid something would happen, and that he would never come."