Thus, through one happy divertisement or another, but chiefly through Drusilla’s affectionate solicitude the “days of absence” slipped imperceptibly away; they had now brought the close of the last week of the honeymoon. The travelers were expected home on Saturday evening, and the house was in perfect order and beauty to receive the wedded pair. CHAPTER XI. A JOYOUS MEETING IN JUNE. June with its roses, June The gladdest month in the capricious year, With its thick foliage and its sunlight clear, And with a drowsy tune, Of the bright, leaping waters as they pass Laughingly on amid the springing grass. Anna and Dick returned rather sooner than they were expected; but not sooner than Old Lyon Hall was ready, and its inmates anxious to receive them. On Saturday morning, while General Lyon, Drusilla and little Leonard with his nurse, were all out on the lawn enjoying the splendor of the early June day, before breakfast, the wagon from the Foaming Tankard was seen approaching the house. “What can that mean?” inquired the old gentleman, looking at it, as it rumbled on towards the house. “Perhaps Anna and Dick to disencumber themselves, have sent the luggage on in advance,” suggested Drusilla. “But, as they are to come down by to-day’s boat that would scarcely be worth while,” reflected the old gentleman. While they were discussing the question, the wagon, instead of going round to the servants’ entrance as it would have done had it contained only luggage, rattled up to the front of the house. And the instant it stopped, Anna jumped out, and ran to her grandfather, who caught her in his arms. “My darling daughter,—my darling, darling daughter, I am so delighted to see you,” he exclaimed over and over again, as he pressed her to his heart, while she answered him only with smiles and kisses, and both forgot that anybody else was waiting to be noticed. Meanwhile, Dick was shaking hands with Drusilla, and chirping to little Leonard, and pulling rattles and whistles and dancing jacks out of his pocket, and in his eagerness doing everything at the same time. “Let me look in your face, dear child,” said the old man, taking the bride’s head between his hands, and gazing wistfully into her tearful but laughing eyes; “are you happy, my Anna?” “Yes, dear grandpa,” said Anna, earnestly, as her eyes overflowed. “Quite happy?” anxiously persisted the veteran. “Well—no,” answered Anna, laughing, and making a face, “perfect bliss is not the boon of mortals, I believe. And, to tell the truth, I have a _corn_ that troubles me, to say nothing of the slightest possible twing of neuralgia caught on the boat last night—moon-gazing.” “Oh, you came on the night boat?”