"Then she jumped—splash! into the hogshead," continued Winnie,
determined to finish.

"He is not very well," said Mr. Breynton, gravely, and then they sat
down to supper, talking the while about him. Winnie subsided in great
disgust, and devoted himself, body, mind, and heart, to the drop-cakes.

"Ah, the best china, I see," said Mrs. Breynton, presently, with one of
her pleasantest smiles, and as Mrs. Breynton's smiles were always
pleasant, this was saying a great deal. "And the Sunday things on,
too—in honor of our coming? How pleasant it all seems! and how glad I
am to be at home again."

Gypsy looked radiant—very much, in fact, like a little sun dropped
down from the sky, or a jewel all ablaze.

Some mothers would have reproved her for the use of the china; some who
had not quite the heart to reprove would have said they were sorry she
had taken it out. Mrs. Breynton would rather have had her handsome
plates broken to atoms than to chill, by so much as a look, the glow of
the child's face just then.

There was decidedly more talking than eating done at supper, and they
lingered long at the table, in the pleasant firelight and lamplight.

"It seems exactly like the resurrection day for all the world," said
Gypsy.

"The resurrection day?"