"I don't see any house," said Major Prime.

"Well, you never do from the road in this part of the country. We put
our houses on the tops of hills, and have acres to the right of us, and
acres to the left, and acres in front, and acres behind, and you can
never visit your neighbors without going miles, and nobody ever walks
except little Becky Bannister when she runs away."

"And I am going to run now," said Becky. "Randy, there's a raincoat
under that seat. I'll put it on if you will hand it out to me."

"You are going to ride up, my dear child. Drive on, Jefferson."

"Randy, _please_, your mother is waiting. She didn't come down to the
station because she said that if she wept on your shoulder, she would
not do it before the whole world. But she is _waiting_---- And it isn't
fair for me to hold you back a minute."

He yielded at last reluctantly. "Remember, you are to act as if you had
never met me," she said to Major Prime as she gave him her hand at
parting, "when you see me to-night."

"Becky," Randy asked, in a sudden panic, "are the boarders to be drawn
up in ranks to welcome me?"

"No, your mother has given you and Major Prime each two rooms in the
Schoolhouse, and we are to dine out there, in your sitting-room--our
families and the Major. And there won't be a soul to see you until
morning, and then you can show yourself off by inches."