"This is delightful to be so waited on," said Mrs. Adams. "It is
worth while going away, to have the pleasure of coming back to my
three children. Now come and sit down, and tell me all about it."
And with a girl at each side and a boy at her feet, she prepared
to hear the story of their doings.

"First, how is Uncle Charlie?" asked Polly, sure from her mother's
bright face that there was no bad news.

"It was a sudden attack of indigestion, and he was much better
before we reached him; but for a little while they thought there
was no chance for him. Aunt Jane is going to stay for a week or
two, but I was in a hurry to come back to my baby. And that
reminds me, I stopped at your house, Alan, to tell your mother I
had come and that Molly would stay here till Monday; and when I
found that you were here, I said I should keep you, too, till
morning. But now you must tell me how you've been amusing
yourselves."

"With cooking," said Polly, with a tragic groan. "Mary's gone off
for a week, and the fire went out, and Alan burned himself, and we
nearly starved. I'm glad you've come back; oh, you can't guess how
glad!"

By degrees they told the tale of their woes, not omitting the
slightest detail, while Mrs. Adams leaned back on the sofa and
laughed till the tears came.

"But there's one good thing about it all," observed Molly, in
conclusion. "We've had a perfectly dreadful time, but it will