pleasure. "I never was so glad to see any one in all my life!
Margaret, you look positively beautiful! Ralph, Jud will show you
where to drive the car in. Oh, isn't this the nicest thing that
ever happened to us, Linda?"

Linda smiled happily and nodded. She had grown taller since the
four little Blossoms had seen her and she wore her hair pinned up
in a pretty knot on top of her head.

Still laughing and talking, Aunt Polly marshaled her guests into
the house. The twins were so sleepy from the long ride that they
could hardly keep their eyes open, but they insisted on coming to
the supper table. Linda and Aunt Polly had spent hours over that
supper, and Father Blossom declared that he would drive fifty
miles any day to get a slice of Linda's homemade bread.

"Mother," whispered Meg, pulling her mother's sleeve half-way
through the meal, "Dot's crying!"

Sure enough, Dot was crying, big, slow, salty tears running down
her pink cheeks and dropping off into her bowl of rich milk and
bread.

"Why darling!" said Mother Blossom in alarm. "Don't you feel well?
Are you tired? Here, come sit in Mother's lap and tell her what
the trouble is."

Dot put down her spoon and ran to her mother, who lifted her up.
The little girl buried her face in Mother Blossom's frilly collar
and began to sob.