The four little Blossoms were too amazed to speak. To think of
Mother crying!

"Pretty soon some one came along the road," Father Blossom went on
with the story, "and, of course, they saw Mother and Bobby crying.
This some one was a woman in a gray wrapper, pushing a baby
carriage in which were two little children and a great many
packages. The children were two boys about three and four years
old, and the woman was their mother. She said her name was Mrs.
Harley and that she lived about a quarter of a mile further on.
She was very good indeed to Mother--made her little boys get out
and walk and put Bobby in with the bundles. Then she helped Mother
as far as her house, gave her hot tea and some bread and butter,
and kept her until Mr. Harley came home. He had a rickety old
buggy and a shabby horse and he harnessed up and brought Mother
and Bobby home in great style."

"That was nice," said Meg with satisfaction. "Can we go and see
Mrs. Harley when we get to Apple Tree Island?"

"There is no Mrs. Harley there now," answered Father Blossom
almost sadly. "She came to see Mother several times that summer.
Mr. Harley was shiftless and easy going, but extremely fond of his
family. They lived in a shack, but they loved each other devotedly
and that, you know, is much better than having a fine house. Well,
Mother never went to Apple Tree Island again--you youngsters kept
her too busy. But I went nearly every year because I've always had
to look after some property there for an invalid friend of Aunt
Polly's. I never went that I didn't see the Harleys and carry them
some message or gift from Mother. Four years ago Mrs. Harley met